Cool Player Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lanka spinner, has no plans to retire and intends to play both Test and one-day cricket for at least two more years.

The past six months has seen several high profile names bow out of the game - Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath the two most notable. But Muralitharan, a youthful 35, has no such desire.

"I will have to call it a day some time. But I am hoping to play for at least another two years and see how good it is and how my fitness is," he said. "I need to be involved in the game to be fully motivated and interested."

He is but a spring chicken to his team-mate Sanath Jayasuriyra, though, who turns 38 at the end of June, and Muralitharan is adamant age should not be a factor in limiting a player's career.

"Sanath is very fit and although he is nearly 38 he can play in any ODI side. He can play as long as he is fit," Muralitharan said. "And knowing Sanath he looks after himself so well. And [Chaminda Vaas] is just 33. [Courtney] Walsh played until he was 37 or 38, [Curtly] Ambrose too played well into his late 30s and [Glenn] McGrath was 37 when he retired.

"I don't think Vaas should be looking to retire. He should maintain his fitness and continue and should be looking at the next World Cup too. As for [Russell] Arnold, maybe he thought it was time. He was somebody who was in and out of the side and it is only he who knows what the best time is to quit. I think he has realised it is now."

Muralitharan is second on the all-time list of wicket-takers in Test cricket with 674, trailing Warne's 708. He is also placed second in one-dayers with 455, just 47 behind Wasim Akram.