Have seen fear in eyes of batsmen when facing Muralitharan: Laxman

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], June 21 (ANI): Former India batsman VVS Laxman said Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan troubled every batsman with his bowling irrespective of the conditions.
Sri Lanka's spin bowling wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was picked the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T) among bowlers pipping legends Shane Warne, Dale Steyn and Glenn McGrath by an exquisite 50-member jury put together by Star Sports.
Laxman said he could see the fear in the eyes of batsmen when they were about to face Muralitharan in a match.
"I was privileged to be against all these greats of the game. Steyn, for someone who could swing the ball, not only the conventional swing but also the reverse swing, used to suffocate you and get you out. The presence of Shane Warne had on the cricket field was just unbelievable," said Laxman on Star Sports' show Cricket Live
"But for me, it has been Muttiah Muralitharan -- the greatest of all time bowler of the 21st century -- because he is one spinner who troubled all the batsmen around the world, not only in Sri Lanka, not only in the subcontinent conditions but apart from Australia, everywhere in the world. He has been the greatest of all time.
"It is not only about statistics, and also not just the number of wickets. He has got 800 Test wickets is a big achievement, the way he bamboozled batsmen. I could see the fear in the eyes of the batsmen when facing Muralitharan," he added.
Former Indian batsman Sanjay Bangar said Muralitharan didn't have the luxury of a good bowling attack that other bowlers in their team had.
"I thought Anil Kumble would feature in the list because he's somebody who's won a lot of matches for India, 619 Test wickets. And doing that without the ability of a Shane Warne or without variation and guile of somebody like a Muralitharan, it was a phenomenal achievement for Anil and for India," said Bangar.
"But I will have to give it to Muttiah Muralitharan purely for the reason that he didn't have the luxury of some pressure being applied from the other end except for somebody like Chaminda Vas, he had to do it all alone.
"I think for that particular reason, for having the record alone for having shouldered the responsibility of an international attack, it has to be Muralitharan," he added. (ANI)