Muralitharan looking to sign off in style in India

By Sanjay Rajan

AHMEDABAD (Reuters) - Master spinner Muttiah Muralitharan seeks to scale twin peaks in the series against India -- win Sri Lanka's first test on Indian soil and put his country top of the world test rankings for the first time.

It would be a perfect overseas sign-off for test and one-day cricket's highest wicket-taker who announced in July his intention to retire from tests in 2010.

Despite flying high in second place to South Africa in the test rankings, Sri Lanka have found India tough and failed to record a victory in any of the 14 matches they have played in India since their first test visit in 1982.

Muralitharan, 37, told reporters on Saturday ahead of Monday's first test: "I think it is a special moment for me because I am playing my last test series overseas."

He acknowledged the tough double challenge ahead but said: "We are not taking extra pressure because of it but we are going to give 100 percent."

A knee injury prompted Muralitharan to call time on his test career but he hopes to play one-day internationals until the 2011 World Cup.

Sri Lanka are to play three tests on the tour as well as five one-dayers and two Twenty20 internationals.

(Editing by Dave Thompson. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)