Warne breaks Murali's record

Chennai:

Australian leg spinner Shane Warne became the world's highest wicket taker in test cricket when he surpassed Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan's tally of 532 in the second test against India today. The 35-year-old bowler achieved the feat when he dismissed nightwatchman Irfan Pathan in the pre-lunch session on the second day of the match at the M A Chidamabaram Stadium. Warne reached the milestone in his 114th Test, 12 years after he made the debut against India at Sydney. Agonising wait The bowler was tantalisingly close to the mark in the first test in Bangalore itself, but had to undergo an agonising wait for the two wickets he needed to surpass his Lankan rival. Though Murali had beaten Warne to Courtney Walsh's record of 519 Test wickets, the Aussie would be pleased to have reached the mark in a country where his record has been anything but impressive. Warne now leads the pack of bowlers with most wickets in test cricket. He is followed by Murali, West Indian pace bowler Courtney Walsh and fellow Australian Glenn McGrath. Remarkable comeback However, Warne knows that his record his unlikely to last as Sri Lanka has three series coming up, one of them against minnows Bangladesh. It has been a remarkable comeback by Warne who served a one-year ban for drug abuse and had to return home in humiliation before the start of the World Cup in South Africa in 2003. But it will be more meaningful for Warne if he can play a crucial role in Australia's attempt to win their first test series in India in 35 years.