Among the first of many former and current players to congratulate Muttiah Muralitharan on his world record of 800 wickets, was his former rival Shane Warne, who admitted, "I don't think anyone will get there, so well done to Murali for getting his 800, Sky Sports reported. "The way he's gone about it has been amazing," Warne added.

"He changed the shape of spin bowling. He is unique in what he's done," quoting the England Spinner Graeme Swann, BBC reported.

"Having played against him and watched him on a number of occasions over the past three decades, he's just a joy to watch playing cricket," Former England Seam Bowler Angus Fraser told BBC Sport. "There will be people critical of him - but I'm not one of those. He has given a huge amount to the game and deserves all the accolades that come his way," he added.

"He's a one-off - I'd be surprised if we see anything like him again," Former England Captain Alec Stewart said.

Muttiah Muralitharan's fairytale farewell to Test cricket was sealed as Sri Lanka completed an emphatic ten-wicket victory over India on the back of his landmark 800th Test wicket, Sky Sports reported.

Meanwhile, the CEO of International Cricket Council, Haroon Lorgat lauded Sri Lanka for producing a cricketing legend.

“What a way to exit from international cricket for Muralitharan! He could not have planned it better. We were all hoping somebody does not take a wicket at the other end so that Muralitharan could get his 800th wicket. I congratulate him and Sri Lanka,” Lorgat said.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis stated, “You dream of getting 800 wickets in first-class cricket and he's done it in Tests".

“He's a legend and a magician. What he's done with a cricket ball in the last two decades is just outstanding,” quoting Younis, The Australian reported.

Muralitharan, in leaving the grand stage of his own volition, has confirmed again that he is the rarest of the rare, the Hindu said in its editorial and added, 'it was fitting that he was born in Sri Lanka, where cricketers are allowed to develop organically, free from the chains of petty orthodoxies'.

No single cricketer has meant more to the fortunes of his national side than this magician with a perennial smile to Sri Lanka, the Hindu further stated.

Following is the editorial on The Hindu:

Seldom are athletes allowed to choose their moment of leaving; often the decision is thrust on them. Muttiah Muralitharan, in leaving the grand stage of his own volition, has confirmed again that he is the rarest of the rare. The bewitching off-spinner's retirement from Test cricket brings to an end a game-changing career. The numbers challenge belief — 800 wickets from 133 matches at 22.72 is a record that, like Sir Donald Bradman's average of 99.94, will probably stand forever. However, it is Murali's role in broadening perception that offers a measure of his bowling. It was fitting that he was born in Sri Lanka, where cricketers are allowed to develop organically, free from the chains of petty orthodoxies. Blessed with singular physical gifts — the combination of a hyper-mobile shoulder and an elastic wrist helped him put more work on the ball than any spinner in the history of the game — Murali set about customising his craft. But his advent didn't revolutionise off-spin, for although his methods were widely imitated, they couldn't be replicated. Another perception he helped broaden was that of the ‘legal' delivery: his action forced world cricket to confront the inaccuracies of its definition and accept the limitations of the naked eye. Murali's action was as legitimate as anyone's — nearly every bowler was found to bend and straighten his arm in delivery, an inevitable consequence of the forces that govern bowling actions.

No single cricketer has meant more to the fortunes of his national side than this magician with a perennial smile to Sri Lanka. Before his debut, Sri Lanka managed two wins in 38 Tests. Muralitharan has since orchestrated 54 wins, claiming more than 40 per cent of his team's wickets in victories. In deciding that his farewell Test would be at Galle against the world's Number 1 Test side, he sportingly set himself the challenge of having to bag eight wickets to scale Mount 800. He did exactly that — and set up an emphatic win. But his influence has transcended cricket. He has borne the responsibility of representation with lightness, humour, and simplicity, remaining a conciliatory presence in an often strife-torn nation. Not content with being a symbol, Murali has embraced humanitarian work. He has driven the Foundation of Goodness's project to rebuild more than a thousand houses spread over 24 villages that were hit by the tsunami in 2004. He has also committed himself to a project in Mankulam that seeks to use sport as a medium for alleviating poverty. The cricket world will salute one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Society will cherish this Tamil of recent Indian origin as an upstanding human being whose very presence has united people.