Indian team will soon bounce back to No. 1 spot: Muralitharan

Notwithstanding the disastrous tour of England during which it lost its numero uno status in Test cricket, retired Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan feels the Indian cricket team will soon bounce back to the number one position.

India went to England as the number one in Tests, but meekly surrendered their top ranking after a 4-0 whitewash.

The 50-overs world champions did no better in the shorter versions, failing to win a single match in the rain-marred five-match series.

"India has a very good team and they were at their best prior to this series. It's just a matter of one bad series. Not much should be read from this and you can't write them off on the basis of this. India has a chance to bounce back against Australia which is not as strong as they used to be," Muralitharan told PTI Bhasha from Colombo.

"Many key players of Indian team were injured hence it was not their best team. It happens with every team but I am sure that the MS Dhoni-led Indian team will clinch the number one ranking in Test cricket very soon," said the world's highest wicket-taker.

While many attributed India's pathetic show in England to too much, Murali did not think likewise. "I don't think there is too much Cricket.

Players like (Virender) Sehwag, Yuvraj (Singh) and (Gautam) Gambhir did not go to West Indies but they were injured in England. Injuries are bound to happen and part and parcel of the game.

"As you get older, injuries come more often. Nowadays in every country cricketers play that much amount of Cricket. For me, as much as you play, you get fitter and better player," he said.

Murali, who had once said that only Harbhajan Singh can emulate him, backed the Indian off-spinner who is going through a rough patch.