Star Sri Lankan off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has admitted that it is "too difficult" for him to achieve the dream milestone of 1,000 Test wickets before he call it quits.

The 36-year-old spin wizard now stands firm on a world record 735 dismissals from his 120-Test career for the Lankans.

"I can achieve it. But the thing is it is too difficult, and you have to be in the game for too long," Muralitharan was quoted as saying to the Hindustan Times.

"I am 36 and want to retire when I am on top and give way to young bowlers coming up in Sri Lanka," he said.

However, Muralitharan is setting a realistic target of reaching 800 Test wickets, while he also hopes to surpass former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram's one-day international world record of 502 wickets.

Murali, who hails from Kandy, has taken 464 ODI wickets from 305 appearances.

"I am targeting 800 Test wickets. I am 65 short of it," he said.

"If I get that, I will be very happy. I will try a little more and take 39 wickets to get past Wasim Akram's world record,” he mused.