Dav Whatmore

Calcutta: With the 38-year-old Muttiah Muralidharan days away from retirement, The Telegraph spoke to Dav Whatmore, who worked with him closely both in Sri Lanka and at Lancashire, for his views on the most successful bowler in international cricket.

Whatmore, who is now coaching the Kolkata Knight Riders, spoke from his Mumbai office on Saturday morning.

Incidentally, Whatmore was Sri Lanka’s coach when the island-nation won the 1996 World Cup. Murali was a key player in that success.

The following are excerpts

Q What were your impressions of Murali, before you actually met him?

A I’d been told quite a bit about him... About how he could turn the ball a long way, of his desire to bowl many overs... Was also told he was the bubbly type, full of energy... This was around the middle of 1995... I then asked people about Murali’s fielding and learnt that he was good in that department, too. I said to myself wow... I really wanted to meet him at the earliest... That had to wait, though, as Murali was training in Kent, with Aravinda de Silva.

And, when you did meet Murali...

(Laughs) He was smaller than I’d expected... What struck me straightaway was Murali’s confidence and, when he started to bowl, I saw for myself just how good he was. I knew I had a match-winner.

What did you tell Murali the first time you met him as Sri Lanka’s coach?

To be frank with you, generally, I’d been nervous at the start of my innings... I was mindful of the fact that I’d only played seven Tests (and a solitary ODI, for Australia)... Then, because I’d been a batsman, I was careful about what I’d tell Murali... He’d already been around for three years and knew his trade well... To start with, I encouraged him.

Did you ever think Murali had a suspect action?

We’d been alerted by the ICC after a tournament in Sharjah, before the (controversial) 1995-96 tour to Australia... The ICC wrote to the Board and, because of that communication, I filmed Murali at nets in Colombo... While his action did look jerky, in my humble opinion, it was fine. Of course, the ICC did have concerns.

How did you handle Murali on that troublesome tour of Australia?

To be called a chucker (after being no-balled for ‘throwing’, by Darrell Hair, in the MCG Test) isn’t the best label to have... It was terrible for all of us... I mean, our match-winner was told that his action wasn’t legitimate... Murali, at that stage, needed a lot of support and that came from all quarters in Sri Lanka... The players, the captain (Arjuna Ranatunga), the support staff, the Board... The group made him feel wanted.

Specifically, what did you do?

Fortunately, I knew a lot of people in Australia, one of them being John Harmer, a respected biomechanist... I involved him and he came to the same conclusion as I had — that while the rotation of Murali’s shoulders and wrist looked naughty, it was no more than an optical illusion of straightening.

Looking back, would you say those few weeks were the toughest for you as coach?

Difficult to say, really... Being new in the job, I relied a lot on the more experienced men around me, like the manager (and chief selector) Duleep Mendis... The support everybody gave Murali was incredible.

How did Murali take to being called a chucker?

Oh, you can never get into his head... I guess there was first a sense of disbelief, but Murali didn’t allow the controversy to affect his body language... It’s not easy, in such situations, to take the field in front of thousands, but Murali did exactly that... The pressure on him was huge, yet he resolved to face the crowds without reacting aggressively. From the outside, it never looked as if he’d been affected.

After your first stint with Sri Lanka (mid-1995 till the end of 1996), you worked with Murali at Lancs...

(Interrupting) In fact, I was instrumental in getting him as the overseas pro, in place of Wasim Akram, after the 1999 World Cup... It hadn’t been an easy decision, for Akram had served Lancs so well, but the Old Trafford wickets had got slower and I felt Murali would be a better bet... The committee agreed... Akram remains the only other match-winner (among bowlers) that I’ve worked with during all my years as a coach.

Murali got plenty on his debut, isn’t it?

Yeah, 14... And, Lancs still lost! It was an away-game, against Warwickshire.

Did you see a change in Murali when your second innings with Sri Lanka, soon after the 1999 World Cup, began?

A huge change... He’d become a much better bowler and a bigger match-winner.

What, in your opinion, was the take-off point in Murali’s career?

Look, sportsmen of the calibre of Murali don’t get up one day and declare that they’re champions... They keep getting better... He has had the aura for years... The look in his eyes, too, says so much about his greatness. It hasn’t been a case of a penny dropping and Murali becoming the champion he is. (After a pause) That he has 66 hauls of five or more wickets in Test innings is, in my view, absolutely mindboggling.

Saqlain Mushtaq is credited with introducing the doosra, but has Murali’s fascinated you?

When you have such skills, then... Murali has stopped the left-handers from using their pads too much... The right-handers, in any case, find him a handful.

Your second innings with Sri Lanka ended with the 2003 World Cup... In more recent years, how often have you and Murali interacted?

It hasn’t been a case of regularly picking up the phone and talking... But being on the circuit, yes, we’ve been bumping into each other and, each time, it’s a very friendly reacquaintance.

What has been Murali’s USP?

For Murali, it has never been ‘if’, but always ‘when’... If he puts his mind into achieving something, it will be realised... There’s no ‘if’ where he’s concerned... Indeed, Murali has been driven by an enormous amount of desire. He’s been the hungry type.

Has Murali been in the habit of discussing targets?

No.

Did you work with Murali any differently in innings No.2 as Sri Lanka’s coach?

As always, I tried to take some pressure off him, for the expectations kept getting bigger... Also, I’d try and encourage him to set more attacking fields in ODIs... Had he gone more for wickets than keeping runs down, he would’ve had a richer haul than 515.

From a coach’s perspective, what would you say about Murali?

Murali has confirmed that players make coaches... The match-winners, after all, are the players... Coaches do play a role, but it’s all about how the players deliver. I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that I benefited from Murali’s presence in the team.

Murali’s on the threshold of 800 wickets in Tests...

Don’t think anybody is going to match that.

Did you, at any stage of being Sri Lanka’s coach, expect Murali to finish on 800 or thereabouts?

Nobody could have predicted. He could’ve been knocked down by a car, could’ve had a major injury... But, yes, I knew he would always have a presence and could cause havoc.

Is this the right time for Murali to leave?

When he decides, he decides... He’s had injuries which have caught up with him... You’ve got to remember he’s bowled a lot for Sri Lanka and it’s very tough being on top physically... (After a pause) The inner feelings influence such decisions.

Murali has said he’d be available, if required, for the 2011 World Cup...

I’d definitely have him in the squad and adopt a horses-for-courses policy... Play him against certain teams.

The final one... What would you tell Murali if you happened to meet him tomorrow?

(Laughs) I’d hug him and just say you’ve had a fantastic career, very well done.