Monty Panesar: a positive choice

Monty Panesar: a naturally attacking left-arm spinner, but will he be stifled into playing a containing role for England? © AFP

Monty Panesar has a lot on his shoulders. Not only is this his first tour with England, but he carries the hopes of his coach and captain, and indeed anyone else who is concerned at the lack of spinners in English cricket. To say he is England's Turbanator-in-waiting is over-egging it a touch. At the very least, he's the best young spinner England possess.

During England's last visit of India in 2001-02, Nasser Hussain, England's captain, introduced a controversial and long-debated tactic. With Ashley Giles bowling over the wicket, into the leg-side rough and limiting Sachin Tendulkar's options, England would have a better chance of restricting the run flow, or so the thinking went. Consequently, it was tedium of the highest order. Mark Ramprakash, who was on that tour, told Cricinfo that a repeat of that same defensive strategy would not merely be dull for the spectators.

"What I would be very, very worried about is if Panesar played, went for 20 bowling around the wicket and then received a tap on the shoulder from Duncan Fletcher, who tells him to bowl six inches outside leg stump over the wicket," Ramprakash said. "If we do that to a young spinner, we could destroy his attacking temperament."

"I'm excited about him. Those who have seen him certainly say he can bowl. He bowls traditional left-arm round the wicket, drifting it into the right-hander and turns it away to attack the slips."

Had Giles been fit, would he have kept Panesar out of the side for the whole series?

"I have no doubt what Fletcher would have done. Giles would have been picked. They value his role, especially batting at No. 8. He's a valued member of the team, very experienced, and someone Michael Vaughan and Marcus Trescothick enjoy working with and trust. He's done well in the side."

As exciting a prospect as Panesar is, not since the West Indies in 1983 has a side arrived in India so bereft of experience in spin as England. While Giles' efforts have been criticised for almost his entire England career, his contributions have often been vital to his team's cause, with the bat as much as the ball. He is a multi-dimensional cricketer, a when-the-going-gets-tough sort of player. Indeed, Giles epitomises the very essence of what Fletcher looks for in his players: he's professional, hard-working and, crucially, he is more than competent in the two weaker facets of his game.

Ramprakash insisted that the distinctly English tactic of using spinners in containing roles, and a negative mindset, is the wrong approach on the subcontinent. "In Asia, you're looking for the spinners to be the main wicket-takers, because it's such hard work for the fast bowlers. As we saw in Pakistan, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison had to bowl a lot of overs and consequently their pace dropped. The conditions didn't really favour them."

And there lies England's dilemma. It's almost inevitable that Michael Vaughan will toss the ball to Flintoff and, to a lesser degree Harmison, if India's batsmen threaten series domination. It was Flintoff who came of age on the last Indian tour, bowling with with what Wisden Cricket Monthly noted as "surprising pace and hostility" - his performances since then have been monumental. He is, though, still only a human being, as the Pakistan tour proved and a spinner has to give his captain control, and not just in terms of corking one end. They have to take wickets; Panesar's attacking instinct can't be restricted by the fear of leaking runs.

"We're looking to discover someone who can bowl like Daniel Vettori does for New Zealand," Ramprakash added. "He was very young when he came in to the side but was backed. He has excellent flight and drift, and looks to back himself with aggressive field placings. And I think we should try and do the same with Panesar."

However Ian Blackwell might have edged past Panesar for the first Test after taking four wickets and bludgeoning a fifty in England's tour game at Mumbai. Panesar, meanwhile, was said to be bowling "fast and flat", lacking the loop and flight which has been so instrumental to his success for Northamptonshire. If England are to make amends to their pre-Christmas wobble in Pakistan, a positive Panesar might well be the significant selection.