World record holder Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka has devised a novel way to silence his detractors, who have accused the spin wizard of bowling with a suspect action for long.
Frustrated with the criticism of his unorthodox action and the ban on his 'doosra', Muralitharan has come up with a video, which shows him bowling with a cast on his arm which does not allow him to bend the arm beyond the defined limit.
"ICC has defined a tolerance in arm bend (flex) for fast bowlers. But there is no such defined flex for slow bowlers. To show to people that 'doosra' is a legitimate ball, I have done a video where I have bowled with a cast on my arm," Muralitharan said in a programme to be telecast on Star Sports on Tuesday.
"The cast does not allow me to bend beyond the defined limit. I have delivered the 'doosra' with that cast on. I will be circulating that video when it is ready to show to people that I am not doing anything wrong," said Muralitharan, the highest wicket-taker in the world with 532 scalps.
Murali admitted it has been "frustrating" to justify himself off and on ever since Australian umpire Darryl Hair first called him for chucking in 1998.
"It's frustrating to have to justify myself even after achieving so much in world cricket. Every time the question has been raised, I have been felt that way.
"First they said my off spin was not good. They went into a test with me and then said that off spin is OK. Now they say 'doosra' (the delivery that moves away from the right handers) is not good enough and I can't bowl it."
"...I have been doing so many tests and so many things. Still I am willing and I am trying to prove to people that I am not doing anything wrong," said Muralitharan, who is also one of the leading one-day bowlers with 366 wickets.
Murali said he has got a lot of wickets with his 'doosra' since it always leaves the batsmen guessing.
"It has helped a lot. More than taking wickets with 'doosra', it has helped in the mind game because people are not sure which way it is going to turn.
"Cricket is all about mind games. You have a skill but you need to have more tactics in your hands. That is what helps you get wickets. Having surprise elements like the 'doosra' makes you unpredictable and that is what gets your wickets."
Murali said he wants to play international cricket for at least another five years.
"When you want to climb a mountain, there are obstacles. And I am facing these obstacles. I have achieved a lot. But I want to go on for another five years.
"I have a world record to my name. God has been kind to me and I am a happy man. I consider myself lucky and have no complaints. God has given me a lot."
