Sachin Tendulkar had a small weakness against off-spin: Muttiah Muralitharan

New Delhi - Muralitharan had dismissed Tendulkar 13 times in his career

Sri Lanka cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan has revealed that Little Master Sachin Tendulkar had a slight weakness against off-spin bowling.

Member of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, Muralitharan, is widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the sport and is the only bowler to have taken 800 Test wickets.

He is also the highest wicket-taker in both Test and ODI formats and averages over six wickets per Test match.

Muralitharan had dismissed Tendulkar 13 times in his career -- only Australia’s Brett Lee had more success against the Indian, dismissing him 14 times.

The legendary spinner said he was more worried about bowling to Virender Sehwag than Tendulkar.

“For Sachin, there was no fear to bowl because he won’t hurt you. Unlike Sehwag who can hurt you. Because he (Sachin Tendulkar) will protect his wicket, he is a good reader of the ball and he knows the technique,” Muttiah told ESPNCricinfo.

“I felt in my career, Sachin had a small weakness against off-spin. With leg-spin, he smashes but off-spin somehow he had the difficulty because I got him out so many times. And lots of off-spinners also got him so many times, I have seen it,” he said.

“I don’t know, I never spoke to him regarding this, that why ‘you aren’t comfortable with off-spin because he is a legend.’

“I felt in my mind he had a little bit of weakness that’s why I got a little bit of advantage compared to other players. But Sachin is a difficult player, it’s very hard to get him out.”