Muttiah Muralitharan working with Australia on Sri Lanka tour

Australia have hired Muttiah Muralitharan on a short-term contract to help their spin bowlers ahead of the three-Test against Sri Lanka, which begins in Pallekele on July 26.

The 44-year-old former off-spinner, the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 800 scalps, enjoyed a similar short-term consulting stint with Australia in 2014.

"Murali's got a lot of experience in Sri Lanka, he took a truckload of wickets," said Australia captain Steve Smith.

"It's great to have someone like that helping our spinners in this series - to give us that insight.

"He's been really good around the group so far, and he's enjoying his time with us."

Muralitharan, who has been working with Australian spinners Nathan Lyon and Steve O'Keefe in the nets, said he was looking for similar short-term jobs and admitted he had no problem working for the opposition.

"Last time I played for Sri Lanka it's more than six years now and I'm not involved in Sri Lankan cricket at all because there are (other) people who are," Muralitharan told the Cricket Australia website.

"I don't want to disturb those things because I got an opportunity to do things in India, mostly in the IPL, and now coaching in Kolkata [as a consultant with the Cricket Association of Bengal's development program] as a spin coach.

"Then, on and off, Australia offered me twice so I said 'why not' because you are passing on the knowledge to other people.

"It doesn't matter whether it's your country or other people.

"So I think the gap's [not there] in the Sri Lanka team, they already have a spin coach, fast bowlers and everything.

"My problem is I can't work full-time - I am not ready for it, otherwise I would [still be] playing the game in T20 all over the world.

"I think giving quality time to my family is most important, that's why I take smaller jobs - two weeks, three weeks [stints as a consultant] because those sort of jobs are not available in Sri Lanka.

"So I just let go."

You are passing on the knowledge to other people. It doesn't matter whether it's your country or other people.

Australia remain confident opener David Warner, who is recovering from a broken left index finger, will be fit for the series opener at Pallekele.

"His recovery is going really well and we expect him to be fine for that first Test match," Smith said of his deputy who batted one-handed against Lyon in the Colombo nets.

Australia will play three Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals during their two-month-long tour.