Former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan believes that India's Ravichandran Ashwin can touch his 800-wicket record in Tests.
Sri Lanka legend and the highest wicket-taker in the history of Test cricket, Muttiah Muralitharan has said that India's Ravichandran Ashwin can equal his wicket tally in the longest format of the game. He also said that Ausralia's Nathan Lyon is "not good enough" to reach the feat.
The 34-year-old Ashwin has played 74 Tests so far, taking 377 wickets at an average of 25.33. Lyon, who will make his 100th appearance in the longest format of the game on January 15, has taken 396 wickets.
"Ashwin has a chance because he is a great bowler. Other than that, I don't think any younger bowler coming in will go to 800. Maybe Nathan Lyon is not good enough to reach it. He is close to 400 but he has had to play many, many matches to get there," Muralitharan told Michael Vaughan for UK Telegraph, as quoted by the ANI.
"Lyon has bowled okay, I thought in Adelaide, he did create a lot of chances but they did not go to hand. Nathan Lyon has played 100 Test matches, and it is not easy."
However, he lauded Lyon's achievement of representing Australia in 100 matches.
"He will play his 100th Test tomorrow and it would be a great achievement. The ball is coming out of his hand beautifully, the Indians have played him very well," he added.
In the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy between India and Australia, Ashwin has taken 12 wickets while Lyon has six.
The series in currently level at 1-1. While Australia registered an 8-wicket win in the first Test in Adelaide, India made a remarkable comeback to beat the hosts with the same margin in 2nd Test at Melbourne.
The third Test in Sydney ended in a draw.
