Sri Lanka spin legend Muralitharan to mentor TNPL team

Photo: AFP

Chennai: Legendary Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has been named the mentor of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) franchise VB Thiruvallur Veerans for the second edition of the event, to be held in July.

"Muralitharan will be the mentor for Thiruvallur Veerans. It is something we never dreamt of, nor was it planned," Thiruvallur Veerans' owner V B Chandrasekhar, a former Indian player and selector, told PTI.

"The team required someone experienced to guide the boys and we felt Murali, with his vast knowledge of the game, could fill that role," he added.

Muralitharan, the record holder for highest wickets in Test cricket (800), has been the bowling coach for IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad and has also worked as a spin bowling consultant with the Australian national side.

The franchise had missed out on a semifinal berth narrowly at the inaugural TNPL due to an inferior net run-rate and Chandrasekhar said that prompted the team to look for a mentor.

"Murali is expected to be with the team for the entire duration of the tournament," Chandrasekhar said adding, "it was a nice gesture on the part of such a big cricketer to agree to be part of a State league".

The Veerans owner admitted that Murali took a while to "say yes" after the offer was made to him.

"He is a good team man and I am sure the Veerans players will learn a lot by being with him. Murali has a wealth of experience, having played at the highest level and coached various teams. He can pass on a lot of knowledge to the young squad," Chandrasekhar said.

Meanwhile, former India paceman B Arun would be the coach.

The team is expected to start training at the VB Nest in Kelambakkam soon.