Highest Test wicket taker Muttiah Muralitharan is highly unlikely that anyone in cricket tough or after can even approach the world scar the champion Sri Lanka bowler would set before retiring.

The ace off-spinner, who has grabbed a whopping 788 wickets to date from 131 Tests, is frustrated that he has been unable to make an impact in the ongoing three-Test series against India in which the visitors are trailing 0-1 going into the third and final match here from December 2.

The Kandy-born Muralitharan, at 37, in the autumn of his prolific career that commenced in the early 1990s, has threatened to walk into the sunset before the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent because he feels he's no longer the silent assassin of yore.
Muralitharan has already announced his intention to quit the highest form of the game after his country's series against the West Indies next year but has now indicated he may quit ODIs too before the mega-event.
In the press meet his words....
"I am 37 years old and I can't bowl as much as those days because after 15-16 overs I get tired. But I will try and play a little bit of one-day cricket that's only 10 overs to bowl. If I find everything is not going well I might retire from both forms of the game before the World Cup," he told a Sri Lanka newspaper after his country's massive innings defeat to India in the second Test at Kanpur.

In two Tests in the current series, Muralitharan has taken only five wickets after bowling over 100 overs, conceding close to 400 runs with a best of 3 for 97 to show for.

Even his overall record in India in Tests is not very impressive, considering his stupendous performance in his long career during which he has grabbed 10 wickets in a match on 22 occasions and five wickets in an innings 66 times.

In total contrast are his returns in India, a meagre 36 wickets in 10 matches with a best of 7 for 100 at a high cost of plus-45 runs per wicket. He has also not taken a 10-wicket haul in India.

This pales even against his modest record of 93 wickets in 20 Tests at home and away combined against India with an average of just under 33 per wicket, including two 10-wicket hauls at home.

But Muralitharan is not an isolated case as far as legendary spin bowlers coming a cropper against India in the latter's backyard is concerned.

Match scheduled to begin at 10:15 local time (09:15 GMT)
One down, six to go. Australia took an early lead in the one-day series by holding off a spirited late charge form England's lower order to secure a four-run victory at The Oval. They almost let the match slip away in the closing overs, but Nathan Bracken held his nerve and Ryan Sidebottom will be the only one who can explain why he left the ball with three deliveries remaining and eight needed.

Chennai: One-day cricket should not be scrapped as there is enough space in the international calendar to accommodate the format which is struggling to survive in the face of Twenty20's rising profile, feels Indian opener Gautam Gambhir.

"There is still space for 50-over format in international cricket. It gives batsmen an opportunity to show their talent, particularly the middle-order batsmen. Test is the toughest form of the game," Gambhir said.

Asked about the upcoming season, Gambhir said the Indian team is well-prepared to handle the challenges, which include a tri-series in Sri Lanka and Champions Trophy in South Africa.

Gambhir dismissed suggestions that Indian batsmen could not deal with the short ball well.

"It is only a hype that has been created. We do not face any such problems. I do not see it as a problem in our team," he said.

Asked about the Delhi players' recent stand-off with their state association, Gambhir said he doesn't know whether the row has ended permanently.

"I do not know whether it has been resolved temporarily or permanently," he said.

Gambhir, who features in the Indian team in all formats, has been roped in as brand ambassador by the tyre manufacturing company MRF Limited.

Announcing the company's decision and introducing Gambhir as its brand ambassador, K M Vinu Mammen, chairman of MRF said, "Gautam has been rising in stature in recent times and this has been endorsed by his recent nomination for the ICC Awards 2009 for the Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year categories."

Referring to the company's past brand ambassadors, including Sachin Tendulkar, Australian Steve Waugh and West Indies' great Brian Lara, Mammen said, "There is certain brand equity by MRF in Indian cricket and we associate with cricketers. We always look forward to long term arrangement with our brand ambassadors.