When Murali Leaves??

[DomainK]

No one can replace a Murali. Its like no one can replace a Warne, a Tendulkar, A Lara, An Akram.....great player are just great players. Murali, when he retires, will be missed badly but Lankan Cricket is not going to suffer in a big way, the subcontinent has created great spinners and Lanka will find the right youngsters. But for that, they need to play them from now on.

[Vrock]

Well Banadara is playing well in ODI's at the moment. maybe he could be seen as a future replacement?

[cantplaycantalk]

Every side seems to go through highs and lows, the aussies have been on a high for a while but look to be missing a bit in the seam department now, and with Warne coming to the end of his career..., England were poor in the 80's and 90's and are on a high now. Pakistan seem to have a good side again, Sri Lanka hit a high point a few years ago and may be about to drop back again, and of course West Indies, the great team of the 80's is now very poor.

Sri Lanka may have a few bad years when Murali and Jayasuria go but they will find another star at some point these things seem to go in cycles.
Well apart from Zimbabwe where the wheels have come off and someone has nicked the sadle.

[Mongoose]

I don't think it is possible that Murali finishing playing could be a good thing for Sri Lanka. His absence can only make the team worse, as you're taking away their main weapon. As for whether they can produce talent like his on a long-term basis, I'm sure there are plenty of good young spinners in Sri Lanka. However, a team will only produce a Murali once in a genreation, if they're lucky. Murali is one of the game's greats.

[Quagmire]

Let me get this straight can anyone debate that it is a good thing to lose two players like Jayasuria and Murali who is the greatest spinner to ever play the game ( equal with Warne ). it is impossible for it to be a good thing.

[Karthik]

The Sri Lankans must be knowing that they will retire soon and they desperately need some young talent now.

[liamg06]

this will hit sri lanka hard, jayasuriya is a great player, his aggression scares some of the best bowlers, and likewise with murali, his aggression scares some of the best batters

two huge losses, by the way, how old is vaas?

[Wanderer]

I hope he plays till he's 40...something. Okay, at least for another 4 years then.

He's a once-in-a-lifetime player. We should be happy that we were around to see him play, and witness his genius.

[flanflinger]

Originally Posted by liamg06

by the way, how old is vaas?

He's 32

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/colum...yer/50804.html

[Ernest]

Originally Posted by uham

Or will they develop good young spiners? Also how long can Murle play he can hardly run?

No country will ever come accross another Murali IMO, or Warne for that matter, not even once in a generation players like Flintoff and Botham.

To soon to say what difference it will make when Murali goes, but I think Sri Lanka are going to have to look for a couple of good young pace bowlers, if they keep trying to find another Murali then that will be a sad mistake.

England tried that when Botham went - and ended up with players like Capel et al, teams have to make the best of the type of players they have, not the type of players they would wish to have.