Muralitharan to bid adieu to Test cricket later this year

Legendary Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who has the highest number of Test wickets under his belt, is planning to quit cricket's longer version after the tour of West Indies in October.

Legendary Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who has the highest number of Test wickets under his belt, is planning to quit cricket's longer version after the tour of West Indies in October.

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The spin wizard has already announced that he will quit all forms of the game after the 2011 50-over World Cup.

The 37-year-old off-spinner is just eight wickets shy of becoming first player to touch the magical 800-wicket mark in
Test cricket.

"Maybe I will play one or two Test matches, that's it, and then retire. The Tests against the West Indies will be the
last ones I will play," Muralitharan said.

"My future is all about playing one-dayers until the World Cup. If I am fit and good I will play until the World
Cup and the World Cup will be the end of the road," he told the 'Sydney Morning Herald'

Muralitharan said his aim was to reach the 800 Test wicket mark before retiring.

Muralitharan is currently playing for Sri Lankan domestic side Kandurata in the inter-provincial Twenty20 tournament to decide the country's representatives at the Twenty20 Champions League.

He also confirmed that he will play in third edition of the Indian Premier League despite a threat by terror outfit
Al-Qaeda and also urged his teammates to go and play in India.

"All the Sri Lankans will go. If you don't go it is bad because there will be no cricket on the subcontinent at all.
It is a difficult question," he said.