Australian vice captain Adam Gilchrist has questioned the value of the testing procedures to determine the legality of spinner Muttiah Muralitharan's controversial "doosra" delivery.

The Sri Lankan's bowling technique was scientifically assessed in Perth recently after he was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by match referee Chris Broad during Australia's Test series in Sri Lanka.

The legality of his "doosra" delivery, which spins in the opposite direction from his stock delivery, has been questioned.

"I have got to question why they bother doing a test like that whether it is Murali or anyone else in world cricket," Gilchrist told Channel Seven.

"Because there is nothing similar between that in a laboratory and what you are facing in the Test matches."

Gilchrist's comments could land the dashing left-handed batsman in hot water with Cricket Australia.

He has run into trouble in the past for commenting on Muralitharan's action, being reprimanded in May 2002 by the Australian Cricket Board for calling the spinner a chucker.

"What I find interesting is they say you don't need to look at his general off-break anymore because we have cleared that," he said.

"A bowler can change what they want every single delivery in a Test match whatever they want to do with their wrist or the arm.

"I don't see that you can say they are cleared we don't need to look for it anymore."

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