IPL 2021: RR’s Kumar Sangakkara’s bed-time story, ‘reveals big secret about Muralitharan’- Rajasthan Royals, Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara has joined the RR squad and he is undergoing a 7-day mandatory quarantine at the team hotel in Mumbai. The Sri Lanka cricket legend shared a unique story about the former team-mate and highest Test wicket-taker of all time Muttiah Muralitharan- currently bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Sangakkara took his example to stress on the importance of training and hard work which can help a professional player achieve success in his career.
“Hi, everyone! Just wanted to say a big hello to all the Rajasthan Royals fans out there. It’s bedtime for me here in Mumbai. I’m in quarantine at the St. Regis hotel. I thought I will share a little bedtime story with all of you. A little experience from my cricketing days. And this was a conversation I had with the great Muttiah Muralitharan, the greatest bowler to ever play the game,” he said.
“Murali used to come everyday to training and he bowled few minutes at the stumps at spot bowling, then he continued bowling in the nets to all the batsmen, then he would finish off with some more spot bowling. And this was for a couple of hours, non-stop bowling. It came to a stage where the coach really had to tell him to stop and had to forcefully take the ball away from him. And I used to watch him,” he said.
“A guy who has taken 600 wickets. What is he still doing, bowling this much? I went up to him and asked him. Why are you doing this? You have taken so many wickets. You really don’t need to practice this hard. And I still remember to this date the answer that he gave me.”
Sanga talking about @MuttiahMurali is the legendary end your day deserves. 💗#HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | @KumarSanga2 pic.twitter.com/r5IuHLqrkA
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) April 2, 2021
Muralitharan’s reply
He just simply turned to me and said, “Sanga it doesn’t matter how many wickets I have taken, what’s really important to me is that I continue to bowl and train as hard as I ever did. Because with my practice, with my spot bowling and bowling to the batsman, I get into a habit where I know I can go to a match and even if I have my eyes closed and I am running to bowl a ball, I can pitch the ball exactly where I want to pitch.”
“And he said, that was where he got his confidence from. Not with extravagant turn or doosra, but that training, that muscle memory, and he said that’s why I [Murali] train so hard because that is my strength and that is what gets me all the wickets. And I can never relax because I want to maintain that level of excellence.”
Also Read: IPL 2021: RR’s Shivam Dube ‘completely floored with Kumar Sangakkara’s presence’
“What an amazing inspiration Murali was to all of us, in Sri Lanka and all over the world, and it really brought into focus, what really makes a champion. So keep working hard, keep having a great practice plan, great preparation and you will achieve your goals.”
“Good night everyone. Thanks for joining. ‘Halla bol’ and keep supporting Rajasthan Royals. Good night!” he signed off.