"It's very difficult because you need another 300 wickets. It will takeanother 4-5 years or 40-45 Tests. I can only take it match by match," SriLanka's record-breaking off-spinner said ahead of the crucial World Cup Group'B' matches against Bangladesh and India this week.
"Having said so, I must stay that I am still going up the ladder. Lastyear was my best as I took 96 wickets in 11 or 12 Tests.
"For all you know, I can go on to 40 years. I am 34 and in another fouryears I will be 38 so I could also play in the next World Cup.
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"It's just how my mind thinks, how fit I am. I would love to play thenext World Cup because it's on home soil."
Muralitharan has a phenomenal strike rate and has picked up 674 wickets inhis 110 Tests with 57 five-wicket and 19 ten-wicket hauls.
Retired Australian leggie Shane Warne holds the world record with 708 scalpsbut experts tip Muralitharan to set a benchmark which others would only dreamabout in future.
Sri Lanka are one of the red hot favourites for the cup with many viewingthem as having the best attack in the competition.
"It's the media which talks of favourites. Game in the middle is alittle different. Any team can beat anyone in one-day cricket," he said.
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"In this game of 50 overs, a matter of 15 overs can change everything.As for having the best attack, it depends on how you play in the park.
"Form on paper doesn't matter at all. Quality is what you deliver notwhat you claim to have."
Muralitharan senses a lot of similarities between the emerging days ofBangladesh and that of Sri Lanka.
"Bangladesh are no longer minnows. They have been playing cricket for7-8 years. They have the experience to rebuild the side.
"We began in 1983 and we won the World Cup in 13 years' time. So itmeans they can also do it in near future."
Muralitharan, however, believes that Bangladesh would struggle in Tests inthe near future.
"They will struggle because they don't have the bowlers to take wickets.I don't want to boast but you need the firepower of myself, Vaas and Malinga.They don't have it.
"In one-day cricket you don't need firepower. You can bowl line andlength and stop the runs and win a match. They are lacking in bowlers but Ithink their batsmen are okay."
PTI
