Tuesday 7 April 2015 13:21, UK
Essex spinner Monty Panesar says he still has a “burning desire” to play for England again.
Panesar’s last Test for England was the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the MCG in 2013. Since then he has been out in the cold, and has struggled for top form at Sussex and, since last year, Essex.
England have struggled to find a top-class Test match spinner since the retirement of Graeme Swann.
Kent off-spinner James Tredwell and Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid are the men on the current tour of the Caribbean, though Moeen Ali remains England’s primary slow option. The Worcestershire star – who is expected to fly out to join the squad once he proves his fitness with his county - is however a batsman who can bowl useful spin, rather than a genuine Test match spinner.
That’s my burning desire. I still want to get back in the England team as I feel there is more cricket ahead of me than behind.
And Panesar believes that he can regain his place ahead of a busy summer of Test cricket against New Zealand and then Australia.
“That’s my burning desire. I still want to get back in the England team,” he told Sky Sports News HQ. “I feel there is more cricket ahead of me than behind.
“I feel if I put in some hard work, and some strong performances – particularly early in the season – then you never know. The desire is still there.
“I feel there is an opportunity for a first-choice spinner. They’ve obviously gone with the option of playing a manufactured spinner (Moeen Ali).
'Promotion'
"I feel that England would want to play a first-choice spinner and it is up to me to put that hard work and effort in and prove to myself that I can play for England. That’s something I want to do at Essex first – get back to playing my best.”
Essex were pipped to promotion to Division One by Hampshire and Worcestershire last year, but Panesar is confident that 2015 could be their year.
“Last year as a squad we did really well so hopefully this season we can just push on and get a trophy in the cabinet and promotion as well,” he said.
“I think the squad is very experienced in four-day cricket, Twenty20s and one-dayers. Most of our squad are 30-plus now so this year or next year it’s crucial for Essex to get promotion and win trophies.”
One man who had departed from Chelmsford is fast bowler Tymal Mills, who turned down the offer of a new contract and joined Panesar’s former county Sussex.
Panesar believes that Mills, rated as one of the fastest bowlers in the country, can build on his promise at Hove.
“I won’t miss his fast bowling. When I was in the nets I didn’t really fancy facing him,” he said. “But he’s obviously a talented player.
"Sussex, I was there for four years, is a good place for him to be. Sussex are good at developing and rebuilding players’ careers. That will be a good move for him.”
