Muralitharan says Sehwag’s strength was his spontaneity, asks next generation to enjoy cricket without overthinking

Muralitharan, the spin bowling legend, was in Kochi to inaugurate the TCC Spin Foundation and to interact with young players at the Tripunithura Cricket Club’s Palace Oval on Sunday.

There’s always the next day: Muralitharan advised youngsters to enjoy the game without putting too much pressure on themselves. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K / The Hindu

During his prime, Muttiah Muralitharan had often wondered how Virender Sehwag could belt bowlers all over the park without care. The Sri Lankan spin legend wanted to know the secret.

“So I asked Sehwag, ‘How could you play like that, you just come and smack every bowler’. Then Sehwag said, ‘The sun will come up tomorrow also. It doesn’t finish with one match, there is another game coming, and I will be different. So I enjoy my game’,” revealed Muralitharan as he advised young players to enjoy the game and not worry about the result.

Virender Sehwag cuts Muralitharan in a One Day International match between India and Sri Lanka at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, South Africa. | Photo Credit: V. V. Krishnan/The Hindu

Muralitharan, the world record-holder with his 800 Test wickets, was in Kochi to inaugurate the TCC Spin Foundation and to interact with young players at the Tripunithura Cricket Club’s Palace Oval on Sunday.

He advised players not to think too much.

“Now, we hear players saying ‘I’m stressed’. We didn’t even know what stress was or the meaning of stress. Don’t overthink, overthinking brings pressure.

“Do your duty to the best of your ability and enjoy. Sometimes, you won’t be able to do it, sometimes you can do better than what you expect. So, don’t put pressure on yourself.

“When you think too much about things you can’t control, you put pressure on yourself. They are not in your hands. When you get an opportunity, don’t say I have to prepare, I have to do this, I have to do that, then only performance will come,” he added.

“If you love the game, it’s a big gain. Maybe, today’s players are too serious because they want to make a career out of it. But those days, we just played for the enjoyment.

“So enjoy your game, whatever the result, there is always the next match and the match after that. There is always the next day.”