Calcutta: Muttiah Muralidharan was effusive in his praise of Ravichandran Ashwin whose wicket-taking prowess has played a significant role in enabling India draw level in the three-match Test series.

According to the Sri Lankan legend, Ashwin can very well feature among the world's top wicket takers if he continues performing in this fashion for the next 10 years. He has got the ability to take more than 600 wickets, Muralidharan believes.

"Ashwin has impressed so far. Taking 140 wickets or so in your first 27 Test matches is certainly a very good record. He has done really well," the world's highest wicket taker in Tests said in Colombo on Monday.

Although his campaign in Australia and England hasn't been a successful one, Muralidharan feels the experience of playing in those conditions has come in handy for Ashwin.

"I think he had a little bit of problem bowling in Australia and England. But now he is more experienced and that experience (of playing in Australia and England) seems to be coming in handy. It will help him do even better...

"Ashwin is young too. So, he's got about another 10 years of cricket in him and if he plays about 100 Test matches, he can take 600 and more wickets," the former off-spinner opined.

Speaking about Sri Lanka's Tharindu Kaushal, Muralidharan pointed out that the young offie needs to keep his head straight should he want to become a better bowler and take more wickets.

"Kaushal has a small problem. If he can iron out that, he will definitely be a very good bowler. For a bowler and also a batsman, technique wise, his head has to be straight.

"In case of Kaushal, his head is bending a little bit. Your eyes will give your brain a signal as to where you want to pitch the ball. He is finding it hard do that and especially when he is bowling over the wicket, that's when his head bends.

"But when he's coming round the wicket, his deliveries tend to be heading outside the off-stump. So, bowling round the wicket helps him take more wickets," Muralidharan explained.

He further added: "When your head falls off, you lose your line and length and cannot pitch the ball on the area you want to. When Ashwin is bowling, he is making the ball dip in, which helps him take more and more wickets.

"This was something that Shane Warne also used to do at his prime. But Kaushal is young and can be rectified. Avoiding his head falling off will take five to six months, though."