New Delhi,aug 20
Legendary Sri Lanka cricketer Muttiah Muralitharan is of the opinion that playing IPL is harder than representing your country. Murali’s comments came during an interaction with India off-spinner R Ashwin in his show ‘DRS with Ash’.The former Sri Lanka off-spinner, who is the highest wicket-taker of the world in both ODIs and Tests, said the competition level in IPL is high and foreign players have to sit out irrespective of performance to maintain certain team combinations based on conditions and the opposition.“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. So that’s part and parcel of IPL. You have to accept it and move on,” Murali added.Murali, who represented Chennai Super Kings, Kochi Tuskers Kerala (now defunct) and Royal Challengers Bangalore in eight seasons of IPL, said there have been matches where he has had to sit out for the team combination’s sake.“In IPL only four foreigners can play so tea composition is there. 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,” said Murali.Murali has played in every season of IPL till 2015 but his best years were with Chennai Super Kings where he picked up 52 wickets in 46 matches under MS Dhoni’s leadership.Murali was last seen plying his trade in the IPL for RCB in 2015.Ashwin, on the other hand, will a start a new journey with Delhi Capitals in IPL 2020 which is set to begin from September 19 in the UAE. Ashwin, who was the leader of KXIP in last two seasons of IPL, will form a potent spin attack with the likes of Amit Mishra, Sandeep Lamichhane, and Axar Patel in Delhi Capitals.
