Test record holder Muttiah Muralitharan to retire

SRI Lanka's world record holding bowler Muttiah Muralitharan will retire from Test cricket after the first match against India this month.

"Muttiah Muralitharan has decided to retire from Test cricket after the first Test in Galle versus India commencing July 18," Sri Lanka Cricket said on its website.

Muralitharan, 38, who is affectionately known as Murali, is the most successful bowler in history with a record 792 Test wickets.

Sri Lanka Cricket said he had the blessing of President Mahinda Rajapakse to retire early, although he had previously said he wanted to remain until the 2011 World Cup.

Factfile on Muttiah Muralitharan

1972: Born Kandy, April 17.
1991: Selected for Sri Lanka A's tour of England.
1992: Makes Test debut against Australia in Colombo. 1995: No-balled in Melbourne Test against Australia by                

                                                                umpire Darrell Hair for throwing. 

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1996: No-balled in Brisbane Test against Australia by umpire Ross Emerson for throwing.
1996: Bowling action cleared by International Cricket Council.
1998: Takes nine for 65 against England at The Oval.
1999: Joins Lancashire and takes 66 wickets in just six County Championship games.
1999: No-balled again for throwing by Emerson in Brisbane Test against Australia; action once again cleared by ICC.
2001: Plays for Lancashire again and takes 50 wickets in seven County Championship matches.
2001: Becomes fastest ever bowler to take 350 Test wickets, achieving the feat in 66 matches.
2002: Takes nine for 51 in first innings of second Test against Zimbabwe in Kandy.
2004: March - Becomes third bowler in history to take 500 Test wickets, during second Test against Australia.
May - Becomes highest wicket-taker in Test history - overtaking Courtney Walsh's 519 victims.
2006: March - Takes 600th Test wicket in second Test against Bangladesh in Bogra a week after becoming first man to reach 1,000 in all international cricket.
2006: June - Takes eight for 70 to help Sri Lanka win by 134 runs to level the npower Test series against England at Trent Bridge.
2007: March/April - Takes 23 wickets at World Cup to help Sri Lanka to final.
July - With last of 26 wickets in three-Test series against Bangladesh, on his home ground at Kandy, becomes second player - after his great spin rival Shane Warne - to reach 700 Test wickets.
December 3 - Back at Kandy again, Murali bowls Paul Collingwood to go above Warne as Test cricket's leading all-time wicket-taker with 709.
2008: July - Takes 11 for 110 as Sri Lanka win the first Test against India in Colombo in a match which featured a debut for a new spin sensation, Ajantha Mendis.
2009: February 5 - Takes 503rd one-day international wicket against India, breaking Wasim Akram's record.
February 21 - Takes 770th Test wicket against Pakistan in Karachi.
July 30 - Takes 507th ODI wicket against Pakistan in Dambulla; announces he plans to retire from Test cricket after the November  2010 series against West Indies.
2010: July 6 - Brings forward date of retirement to end of first Test against India, which begins July 18.