Playing in the IPL is more difficult than playing for the country: Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan believes that playing in the IPL is tougher than playing for the national team. According to him, there is more surety of playing and getting to bowl while playing for the country, but foreign players may have to sit out even after good performances in the IPL.

The spin-bowling legend made these remarks during an interaction with Ravichandran Ashwin in his show DRS with Ash.

The level of competition in the IPL is very high, opines Murali. The limit of maximum four foreign players in the playing XI means that a player may have to be left out even on the back of a good show owing to the team combination required.

“Playing IPL difficult than playing for country. With country, you know you will perform. You will have the confidence that you’ll get the ball, you’ll play. But in IPL, no matter how well you’ve done, you might have to sit out for the sake of team combination,” Muralitharan said.

Remembering the occasions in which he had to make way and sit out, the 48-year-old advises that one has to take it in their stride and move on, considering it as part and parcel of the IPL.

“Some matches need all-rounders, some don’t. I too have sat out many matches. But I’ve never been unsatisfied. That is part of the game,” the former Sri Lankan cricketer added.

Good human beings are like Fixed deposits, the returns are always safe and secure. This great man (Murali’s 800 test wickets) is a just reward for the kind of person he is. I loved chatting with him, I am sure all of you will too. #drswithash @4pm today.https://t.co/3QUBCjNueQ pic.twitter.com/0XZ3CpYzMD

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) August 7, 2020

Muttiah Muralitharan was part of the first 8 editions of the IPL

Murali has represented Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala and Royal Challengers Bangalore over eight editions of the IPL.

The best part of his IPL career came while he was playing for CSK. Murali picked up 52 wickets from 46 matches playing for them.

He bid farewell to IPL in 2015 playing for RCB. By that time, his total tally added up to 63 scalps at an average of 6.67 from 66 matches.