Aghast over former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie's remarks on Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, Sri Lankan cricket community has termed it as a publicity stunt by the Aussie to boost sales of his autobiography.

Gillespie, in his new autobiography 'Dizzy,' says the new cricket laws that liberalise the elbow bending rules for bowlers have helped Muralitharan and Pakistani speedster Shoaib Akhtar.

Under the new ICC rules, bowlers while bowling a delivery can now have up to a 15-degree bend in their elbow, the angle which becomes obvious to the naked eye.

"When the ICC has changed the rules allowing bowlers to bend their elbow 15 degrees taking into consideration various aspect, why should Muralitharan's action be questioned. He has been bowling for several years and is on the threshold of a world record," a top cricket official here said on condition of anonymity. PTI