The former Sri Lankan player Muttiah Muralitharan has been appointed as the spin bowling consultant of the Australian cricket team for the upcoming tour of United Arab Emirates where the Kangaroos will be playing a series of 3 test matches.

Murali is arguably the greatest finger spinner to have ever played the game. So, his appointment is definitely going to benefit the Aussie spinners especially Nathan Lyon.

Murali was known as the master of away going delivery i.e. ‘Doosra’ during his playing days. He used to bowl that delivery with a subtle change in his action. His stock delivery was pretty effective too. He was a massive turner of the ball and on the deteriorating subcontinent pitches; he ran through the opposition batting line ups a number of times on the 4^th and the 5^th day of test matches. He was a class act.

But, despite all that, nobody would have expected that Murali would become a part of the Australian coaching set up one day. The Aussies have never liked him that much. It was them who had called him a chucker a few years back saying that he bent his arm way too much while bowling the ‘Doosra’. And, now, they have called him up to help their emerging spinners. It has really taken people by surprise.

Not too many quality spinners have come through the ranks in Australia in the last few years. Lyon is the one who has caught a few eyes, but, he doesn’t have variation in his bowling. He can only bowl the off spinning delivery or the arm ball, but, working with Murali might help him learn how to take the ball away from the right handers.

Murali is the only bowler till date who has got 800 wickets in test match cricket.