Pioneers Of Cricket: The Story Of Cricket's Greatest BowlerIn 2002, Wisden carried out a statistical analysis of all Test matches in an attempt to rank the greatest cricketers in history, and Muralitharan was ranked as the number one bowler of all time.
Muralitharan's unique bowling action begins with a "flapping wings" run-up, and culminates with an extremely wristy release which had him mistaken for a leg spinner early in his career by Allan Border. Aside from his off break, he also is a master of the doosra, the surprise delivery which turns from leg to off with no discernible change of action. He is also able to bowl orthodox leg spin, as shown during the South African tour of Sri Lanka in 2006, managing to extract prodigious spin.