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 on April 25, 1982) is a former English international cricketer. He was a left-arm spin bowler. Monty Panesar played his first Test match for England in 2006 against India. He made his first One Day International (ODI) appearance in 2007.

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

Monty was born in Luton to Indian parents. He is a Sikh and wore a black patka (a smaller version of a turban) while playing. Many fans copied him by wearing patkas and fake beards.

When he first joined the England team, people thought he was not very good at batting or fielding. This led to fans cheering him in a funny way. He later improved his skills. Monty lost his spot in the England Test team for a while. But he worked hard and was called back to play for England in later series. In January 2017, he helped Cricket Australia as a spin-bowling coach for their tour of India.

Early Life and Background

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

Monty supports two football teams: Arsenal and Luton Town. He went to St. Matthew's Infant and Junior Schools and Stopsley High School in Luton. He also studied at Bedford Modern School. Later, he earned a degree in computer science from Loughborough University.

Monty's Cricket Skills

Monty Panesar is mainly a left-arm finger spin bowler. Early in his career, England's coach, Duncan Fletcher, called him "the best finger spinner in the world."

Monty has had many nicknames over the years. People often call him "Monty." Other nicknames include "The Python" (like Monty Python) and "The Sikh of Tweak."

How Monty Bowls

Monty has special physical traits that help him bowl spin. He has very large hands, measuring 14 inches (35.5 cm). He can also rotate his hand at his wrist a full 360 degrees.

Monty's first Test match was against India. 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 one game against Sri Lanka in 2006. In 2007, he became the first English spinner in 10 years to take 10 wickets in a match. This happened against the West Indies. He got his 100th Test wicket in 2008 against New Zealand.

Panesar bowls in the nets at Adelaide Oval

Monty's Batting Skills

Monty Panesar was not known for his batting. He usually scored less than 9 runs per game in first-class matches. In Test matches, he averaged under 5 runs. However, he did have some important moments with the bat. In 2006, he scored 26 runs quickly against Sri Lanka. This included hitting a six off Murali. In a 2009 Ashes match, he and James Anderson batted for 40 minutes. They survived 69 balls together to help England get a draw. In domestic cricket, Monty scored his highest first-class score of 46 not out in 2010.

Monty's Fielding Skills

At the start of his Test career, Monty's fielding was often criticized. Fans would cheer loudly in a joking way even when he made simple catches.

Monty's Work Ethic

Former England captain Andrew Strauss said that Monty was always the first to practice. He would stay late to work on his batting and learn new shots. However, in 2013, Monty was dropped by Sussex. This was partly because of his attitude on the field. When his shoulder was sore, he started using his foot to stop balls. Then he would throw them underarm to the wicketkeeper.

Playing for Clubs

Monty started as a medium-pace bowler. When he was about sixteen, coaches at Northamptonshire suggested he switch to spin bowling. Paul Taylor, a former Northamptonshire player, also told him to try spin during a school coaching session.

As a schoolboy, Monty played cricket for Stopsley High School. He also played for Dunstable Town CC and Luton Indian CC. Then he was chosen for the England Under-19 team. His first-class debut was in 2001 when he was 19. He played against Leicestershire. He took eight wickets in that match. For a few years, he played less often because he was a full-time student at Loughborough University.

After finishing university, he became a more important player for Northamptonshire. In 2005, he had a great season. He took 51 wickets in the County Championship. In the 2009–10 season, he played for the Highveld Lions in South Africa.

In 2010, Monty joined Sussex. He did very well in his first season there. He took 52 wickets. In 2011, he took 69 wickets for Sussex, making him the second-highest wicket taker. In 2012, he had his best ever performance in a match. He took 13 wickets against Somerset.

Monty had a tough time with Sussex in 2013. His contract was not renewed. He then played for Essex on loan. Later, he signed a two-year contract with Essex. But in 2015, he was released by Essex. He returned to play for Northamptonshire in 2016.

In 2019, Monty talked about playing for an Indian team, Puducherry. However, he could not play because only Indian citizens are allowed. Monty has an Overseas Citizenship of India, but this is not full citizenship. In 2023, he signed to play for Great Witchingham in the East Anglian Premier Cricket League for the 2024 season.

Playing for England

Test Selection: India Tour, 2005–06

Because of his good games in 2005, many people wanted Monty to join the England Test team for their 2006 tour of India. He was chosen in January 2006. He played his first international match against India in Nagpur. He took three wickets, including India's best batsmen, Sachin Tendulkar and captain Rahul Dravid. Sachin Tendulkar, who was Monty's childhood hero, signed the cricket ball that got him out and gave it to Monty. Monty played in the next two Test matches in Mohali and Mumbai. Thirty-five of his family members watched him play in Mohali.

Playing Against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in England, 2006

In May 2006, Monty played his first Test match in England against Sri Lanka. He took his first five wickets in one game against Sri Lanka. He also scored 26 runs, including a six.

Monty took three wickets against Pakistan in Manchester in June 2006. He took 5 wickets in the second innings. He and Steve Harmison took 19 of the 20 Pakistani wickets in that match. This was a big win for England. Monty continued to do well against Pakistan.

Playing in Australia, 2006–07

Before the 2006–07 Ashes series against Australia, some Australian players said they would play aggressively against Monty. Australian captain Ricky Ponting praised Monty. He said Monty was not afraid to bowl in a way that tried to get batsmen out.

Monty was not chosen for the first two Ashes Tests. Fans even started a petition for him to play. He was finally picked for the third Test in Perth. He took 5 wickets in the first innings. He was the first English spin bowler to take five wickets in a Test match in Perth. He stayed in the team for the rest of the series.

After the Ashes, Monty was chosen for the One Day International (ODI) series against Australia and New Zealand. He played his first ODI against Australia in January 2007. He played in nine matches and took nine wickets.

World Cup 2007

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

Playing Against West Indies in England, 2007

Monty played in all four Test matches against the West Indies in 2007. He took 6 wickets in the first Test. He got his first 10 wickets in a Test match in the third Test. He was the first English spin bowler to do this in ten years. He won the man of the match award for this performance. He finished the series with 23 wickets and won the man of the series award.

Playing Against India in England, 2007

Monty played in all three Tests against India in 2007. He did well in the first two Tests. In the first Test, he took 2 wickets, including Sachin Tendulkar again. He struggled in the third Test.

Playing in Sri Lanka, 2007–08

In October 2007, Monty was not chosen for the first four ODI matches against Sri Lanka. The England coach, Peter Moores, said Monty was still England's "number one Test spinner." Monty played in the three Test matches. He took 6 wickets in the first match.

Playing in New Zealand, 2008

In February 2008, Monty was not chosen for the Twenty20 matches against New Zealand. He was also not picked for most of the ODI series. He was then selected for the three Test matches. He took 11 wickets in the series, and England won.

Playing Against New Zealand in England, 2008

In May 2008, New Zealand came to England for a three-Test series. Monty was chosen for all the Test matches. In the second match, he took his best ever 6 wickets for only 37 runs. He finished the series with 9 wickets. Again, he was not chosen for the Twenty20 or ODI games.

Playing Against Australia in England, 2009

Monty played in the first Test of the 2009 Ashes series against Australia. He did not take many wickets. However, he and James Anderson batted for the last 11 and a half overs. They stopped Australia from getting the last wicket, which helped England get a draw. Because he didn't take many wickets, Monty was not chosen for the rest of the series.

Playing in Australia, 2010–11

After playing well for his county team Sussex, Monty was chosen for the England squad to tour Australia for the Ashes in 2010. He did not play in any of the Tests. But he played in two tour matches and took 6 wickets.

Playing in the United Arab Emirates, 2012

After a very good season for Sussex, Monty was picked as the second spinner for the tour of Pakistan. He played in a warm-up match and took 8 wickets. He was chosen for the second Test in Abu Dhabi. This was his first Test match in over two and a half years. He took 6 wickets in the second innings. England lost the match and the series. He also played in the third Test and took seven wickets.

Playing in Sri Lanka, 2012

Monty played in a warm-up match against Sri Lanka. He took 5 wickets. He was chosen for the first Test but only took 2 wickets. He also dropped two catches. England lost the match. Monty was not chosen for the final Test.

Playing in India, 2012

Monty was called up for the tour of India in 2012. He played in two warm-up matches. He was not picked for the first Test, which England lost. After that match, the coach and captain said they had made a mistake. Monty was then chosen for the second Test. He took 5 wickets in the first innings and 6 wickets in the second. This was his best ever match performance with 11 wickets. It was also the first time an English spinner had taken 10 wickets in a match in India since 1934. England won that match. In the third Test, he took five wickets. England won that match too. The final Test was a draw, and England won the series 2–1. This was the first time England had beaten India in India since 1984–85. Monty took 17 wickets in the series.

Playing in New Zealand, 2013

Monty was chosen for the tour of New Zealand in 2013. He was the main spinner for the Test matches because Graeme Swann was injured. Monty took 5 wickets during the series.

Achievements and Awards

• NBC Denis Compton Award 2001
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year 2007
• Beard of the Year 2006 by the Beard Liberation Front.
• Ashes Member 2006–07, 2009, 2010–11
• Ashes Winner 2009, 2010–11
• (Padmore Medal) 2006 England v Pakistan npower test series

Best Performances in Cricket

Personal Life

Monty Panesar has said, "I follow Sikhism, and maybe I’ve channeled the discipline that religion creates into my cricket." He has uncut hair and a full beard, which is an important part of the Sikh way of life. He won the 2006 Beard of the Year competition.

After rejoining Northamptonshire in 2016, Monty spoke about dealing with some personal challenges. He talked about accepting medication to help him cope with feelings of worry and distrust that came after losing confidence.

He was married to Gursharan Rattan, but they later divorced. Monty released his autobiography, Monty Panesar: The Full Monty, in May 2019.

After retiring from cricket, Monty studied Sports Journalism. He is also an Overseas Citizen of India.

In April 2024, Monty announced he wanted to become a MP for Ealing Southall. He wanted to help working-class people. He withdrew his plan a week later.

See also

• Patiala House, an Indian film inspired by Panesar's life
• List of British Sikhs