Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has said he would now be selective about the tournaments he plays in, to cut down on injuries and keep himself fit for the 2007 World Cup.
"I think I may have to consider playing just the major tournaments to prolong my career till World Cup 2007 so that physical strain is less," the spin wizard was quoted as saying on Cricinfo website.
"I would like to play in the 2007 World Cup and then quit both forms of the game after that," said Murali, who is set to become highest wicket taker in Test cricket.
He, however, said "plans can change but that is what I am thinking now".
The 30-year-old had been dogged by injuries throughout last year when he dislocated his shoulder during the Sharjah Cup and missed the first few matches of England tour.
He underwent a hernia operation in November and then sustained a torn quadracep besides a niggling groin.
"Murali's body has become a bio-mechanical mess and needs to be managed very carefully over the coming years," said Alex Kontouri, Sri Lanka's physio for the past seven years who has stepped down now.
Despite his continued ailments, mainly a result of his unique bowling action, Murali believes he can still improve and he is currently working on new variations.
"The flipper that I have been working on might take some time," he says. "It is a very hard ball to master and I have not yet bowled it in a match. I am also working on other variations, like getting closer to the wicket which helps me curve the ball in the air."
