( CNN ) -- Cricket 's leading wicket-taker Muttiah Muralitharan has confirmed that he will retire from Tests later this month . The 38-year-old Sri Lanka spin bowler will bow out of the five-day game on home soil against the world 's top-ranked team India in Galle from 18-22 July . He had been expected to quit during November 's series against the West Indies , but has brought forward his retirement . Muralitharan , who has taken 792 wickets in 132 Test matches , will still be available for limited-overs internationals and may yet play at the 2011 World Cup which Sri Lanka will co-host along with India and Bangladesh . He has taken 84 more wickets in Tests than his closest rival Shane Warne , who retired in 2007 , and 437 more than the highest-ranked player to have played a Test this year -- India 's Harbhajan Singh . `` Champion spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has decided to retire from Test cricket , '' said a statement on Sri Lanka Cricket 's official website on Tuesday . `` Mr Muralitharan has had discussions with the national selectors , SLC officials and has had the blessings of His Excellency the President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Minister of Sports , Hon . C.B . Ratnayake . '' The SLC said it would hold a press conference in `` due course '' to announce further details of the cricketer 's retirement . Muralitharan is widely considered to be the greatest bowler his country has ever produced . In addition to his Test feats , he has also taken a record-breaking 515 wickets in 337 one-day internationals . However , over the course of his 19-year career the Sri-Lankan 's unusual bent-arm bowling action has come under scrutiny from umpires and players , who have questioned its legality . But despite several investigations , the International Cricket Council failed to find the bowler guilty of any wrongdoing . Muralitharan 's manager said the player had changed his mind about retiring in November when the three-match India series -- which begins in Galle and finishes in Colombo next month -- was added to the Test calendar . `` Murali took a decision to retire from Test cricket during the West Indies series in November , but with an unscheduled Indian series coming up he has fast-tracked his retirement from Test cricket , '' Kushil Gunasekara told the Cricinfo website . `` The selectors want Murali to be around just in case they do n't find a suitable replacement for him for the 2011 World Cup . They probably want the spinners to work around Murali . '' Cricinfo reported that Muralitharan would not be available for the one-day tri-series after the India matches , which also involves New Zealand .
Spin bowler Murali has confirmed that he will retire from Test cricket . Sri Lanka Cricket released a statement about the 38-year-old record-holder on Tuesday . Muralitharan has taken 792 wickets in 515 Tests and 515 wickets in 337 one-day internationals . He will still be available for selection for the one-day the 2011 World Cup co-hosted by Muralitharan .