Skip hostile Aus tour, Ranatunga advises Murali

“I told him I wished he wasn’t touring Australia because of the amount of trouble he has had,” Ranatunga was quoted as saying by the News Limited papers.

Murali, however, was determined to go, Ranatunga said.

“But he wants to go. It was up to him to decide that. My personal opinion was that he shouldn’t go. I think Murali is tough enough to go through that and take whatever he gets,” he said.

Sri Lanka will play two Test matches in Australia before competing in a tri-series that also involves India.

Muralitharan, a veteran of 113 Tests, has 700 wickets under his belt and need just nine scalps to eclipse Warne’s record of 708 wickets in 145 Tests.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland, however, reacted coldly to Ranatunga’s comments and said he was not surprised.

“I am not particularly surprised about that,” Sutherland said.

“But Murali is clearly able to make his own decisions. He has been to Australia before. The mere fact that he is coming is fantastic for cricket and we are very much looking forward to seeing him on our shores and doing his best.”