Monty Panesar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Monty Panesar

Panesar in 2006
Personal information
Full name	Mudhsuden Singh Panesar
Born	(1982-04-25) 25 April 1982 (age 43) Luton, Bedfordshire, England
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Slow left arm orthodox
Role	Bowler
International information
National side	England (2006–2013)
Test debut (cap 631)	1 March 2006 v India
Last Test	26 December 2013 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 200)	12 January 2007 v Australia
Last ODI	13 October 2007 v Sri Lanka
ODI shirt no.	77
Only T20I (cap 23)	9 January 2007 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2001–2009	Northamptonshire (squad no. 7)
2009	Highveld Lions
2010–2013	Sussex (squad no. 7)
2013	Essex (on loan)
2014–2015	Essex (squad no. 77)
2016	Northamptonshire
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 50 26 219 85 Runs scored 220 26 1,536 141 Batting average 4.88 5.20 8.39 8.81 100s/50s 0/0 0/0 0/0 0/0 Top score 26 13 46* 17* Balls bowled 12,475 1,308 48,193 3,725 Wickets 167 24 709 83 Bowling average 34.71 40.83 31.22 34.84 5 wickets in innings 12 0 39 1 10 wickets in match 2 0 6 0 Best bowling 6/37 3/25 7/60 5/20 Catches/stumpings 10/– 3/– 44/– 15/–
Source: CricInfo, 15 December 2016

Mudhsuden Singh "Monty" Panesar (born 25 April 1982) is a former English international cricket player. He was a left-arm spinner. Panesar first played for the England Test team in 2006 against India. He made his One Day International (ODI) debut for England in 2007.

In English county cricket, he played for Northamptonshire until 2009, then for Sussex from 2010 to 2013, and Essex from 2013 to 2015. He returned to Northamptonshire in 2016. He also played for the Lions in South Africa.

Monty Panesar was born in Luton, England. His parents are from India. He is a Sikh and wears a black patka (a small turban) when he plays cricket. Many of his fans would wear patkas and fake beards to support him.

When he first joined the England team, he was known for his bowling, but not as much for his batting or fielding. He worked hard to improve these skills. He lost his spot in the England Test team for a while but improved his game with Sussex County Cricket Club. This led to him being called back to the team for important matches. His last international series was against Australia in 2013–14. He has not officially announced his retirement from cricket.

Early Life and Education

Monty Panesar's parents, Paramjit Singh and Gursharan Kaur, moved from Punjab, India to Luton, England, in 1979. Monty was born there. He has a younger brother, Isher Singh, and a sister, Charanjit Kaur Panesar.

He went to St. Matthew's Infant and Junior Schools and Stopsley High School in Luton. For his final school years, he studied at Bedford Modern School. He also earned a degree in computer science from Loughborough University. Monty is a fan of the Luton Town football team.

Cricket Skills

Monty Panesar is mainly a finger spin bowler who bowls with his left arm. Early in his career, former England coach Duncan Fletcher called him "the best finger spinner in the world."

Monty has several nicknames, including "Monty," "The Sikh of Tweak," and "The Beard to be Feared."

Bowling Style

Monty Panesar has special physical features that help him bowl spin. He has very large hands and can rotate his wrist all the way around (360 degrees).

His first Test match was against India in Nagpur. His very first Test wicket was the famous Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar. He also bowled out Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif. Monty took his first 5 wickets in an innings against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge.

In June 2007, he became the first English spinner in ten years to take 10 wickets in a match. This happened against the West Indies at Old Trafford. He took his 100th Test wicket in May 2008 against New Zealand, also at Old Trafford.

Panesar bowls in the nets at Adelaide Oval

Batting Skills

Monty Panesar was not known for his batting. In Test matches, he averaged less than 5 runs per innings. However, he had some important moments with the bat. In 2006, he scored a quick 26 runs against Sri Lanka, including a six off Murali.

In the Ashes First Test in 2009, he and James Anderson batted for 40 minutes. They faced 69 balls together to help England get an important draw. In domestic cricket, Monty scored his highest first-class score of 46 not out in 2010.

Fielding Skills

At the start of his Test career, Monty Panesar's fielding was sometimes criticized. Fans would cheer loudly even for simple catches, which was a bit of a joke.

Work Ethic

Former England captain Andrew Strauss said that Monty Panesar was very dedicated. He would arrive early for practice, work on his catching, and bowl for most of the net session. He would also stay late to practice his batting.

Domestic Cricket Career

Monty Panesar started as a medium-pace bowler. Around age sixteen, he changed to spin bowling after advice from coaches at Northamptonshire.

As a schoolboy, he played cricket for Stopsley High School and local clubs. He was then chosen for the England Under-19 team. His first-class debut was in 2001 when he was 19. He took eight wickets in that match. His appearances were limited for a few years because he was a full-time student at Loughborough University.

After graduating, he became a key player for Northamptonshire. In 2005, he had a great season, taking 51 wickets. In the 2009–10 season, he played for the Highveld Lions in South Africa.

In 2010, Panesar joined Sussex. He did well in his first season, taking 52 wickets. In 2011, he took 69 wickets for Sussex, making him the second-highest wicket-taker for his county.

In 2012, he achieved his best bowling figures in a match, taking 13 wickets against Somerset. He struggled a bit in 2013, and his contract with Sussex was not renewed. He then played for Essex on loan and later signed a two-year contract with them. In 2015, he was released by Essex and returned to play for Northamptonshire in 2016.

In August 2019, Monty Panesar was in talks to play for an Indian domestic team, Puducherry. However, he could not play because only Indian citizens are allowed in that competition. He holds an Overseas Citizenship of India, which is not full citizenship.

In December 2023, the East Anglian Premier Cricket League team Great Witchingham announced that Monty Panesar would play for them in the 2024 season.

International Cricket Career

England in India, 2005–06

Because of his strong performances in 2005, many people wanted Monty Panesar to be included in the England Test squad for the 2006 tour of India. He was chosen in January 2006 and made his international debut in the first Test against India in Nagpur. He took three wickets, including India's top batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar and captain Rahul Dravid. Sachin Tendulkar, who was Monty's childhood hero, even signed the cricket ball that dismissed him and gave it to Monty.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan in England, 2006

In May 2006, Monty Panesar played his first Test match in England at Lord's against Sri Lanka. He took his first five-wicket haul in a Test match in the third game, with figures of 5 wickets for 78 runs.

Against Pakistan in June 2006, Monty took 5 wickets for 72 runs in the second innings. He and Steve Harmison took 19 of the 20 Pakistani wickets in that match, helping England win by a large margin.

=England in Australia, 2006–07 (The Ashes)

Before the 2006–07 Ashes series against Australia, some Australian players said they would play aggressively against Monty. However, Australian captain Ricky Ponting also praised him, saying he wasn't afraid to bowl attacking deliveries.

Monty was not in the team for the first two Tests. Many fans and media called for him to play. He was finally selected for the third Test in Perth. He took 5 wickets for 92 runs, becoming the first English spin bowler to take five wickets in a Test match at that ground. He stayed in the team for the rest of the series.

After the Ashes, Monty was selected for the Commonwealth Bank series against Australia and New Zealand. He made his ODI debut against Australia in January 2007. He played in nine matches, taking nine wickets.

World Cup 2007

Monty Panesar was chosen for England's World Cup squad in 2007. He took 7 wickets in the tournament. His best performance was against Bangladesh, where he took 3 wickets for 25 runs.

West Indies in England, 2007

Monty played in all four Tests against the West Indies in 2007. He took his first six-wicket haul in Tests at Lord's. His first Test match with ten wickets came in the third Test at Old Trafford, where he took 10 wickets for 187 runs. He was the first English spinner in ten years to achieve this. He won his first man of the match award for this performance. He finished the series with 23 wickets and was named man of the series.

India in England, 2007

Monty played in all three Tests against India in 2007. He took 8 wickets in the series.

England in New Zealand, 2008

In February 2008, Monty Panesar was selected for the three Test matches against New Zealand. He took 11 wickets in the series, which England won 2–1.

New Zealand in England, 2008

In May 2008, New Zealand toured England. Monty was selected for the Test series. In the second match at Old Trafford, he achieved his best single innings figures of 6 wickets for 37 runs. He ended the series with 9 wickets.

=Australia in England, 2009 (The Ashes)

Monty Panesar played in the first Test of the 2009 Ashes series in Cardiff. He took only one wicket. However, he made a crucial contribution with the bat. He and James Anderson batted for the final 11 and a half overs of the match, preventing Australia from taking the last wicket and securing a draw for England. After this match, he was not selected for the rest of the series.

England in the United Arab Emirates, 2012

After a very successful season for Sussex, Monty Panesar was chosen as the second spinner for England's tour against Pakistan in the UAE. He played in the second Test, which was his first Test match in over two and a half years. He took 6 wickets for 62 runs in the second innings. He also took 5 wickets for 124 runs in the third Test.

England in India, 2012

Monty Panesar was called up for the winter tour of India in 2012. He was selected for the second Test and had an amazing performance. He took 5 wickets for 129 runs in the first innings and 6 wickets for 81 runs in the second. His match figures were 11 wickets for 210 runs, which was his career best. This was also the first time since 1934 that an English spinner had taken 10 wickets in a match in India. England won this match and went on to win the series 2–1. This was the first time England had beaten India in India since 1985. Monty ended the series with 17 wickets.

England in New Zealand, 2013

Monty Panesar was the main spinner for England's Test tour of New Zealand in 2013. He took 5 wickets during the series.

Achievements and Awards

Monty Panesar has received several awards for his cricket career:

• NBC Denis Compton Award 2001
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2007
• Beard of the Year 2006 by the Beard Liberation Front.
• Ashes Series Member: 2006–07, 2009, 2010–11
• Ashes Series Winner: 2009, 2010–11

Career Best Performances

Personal Life

Monty Panesar follows Sikhism. He has said that the discipline from his religion helped him in cricket. As a Sikh, he has uncut hair and a full beard, which are important parts of his identity. He won the "Beard of the Year" competition in 2006.

Monty Panesar released his autobiography, Monty Panesar: The Full Monty, in May 2019. After his cricket career, he studied Sports Journalism at St. Mary's University London. He is also an Overseas Citizen of India.

In April 2024, Monty Panesar announced he wanted to run for election as a Member of Parliament for Ealing Southall in the UK. He said he wanted to help working-class people. He later withdrew his candidacy a week after announcing it.

See also

• List of British Sikhs