Born to Indian Punjabi parents, he is the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in Test cricket. Panesar sports a trademark black patka (a smaller version of the full Sikh turban) while playing and in cricket training. He is a crowd favourite in England, and many fans have worn patkas and fake beards while watching Panesar play.
Panesar, a devout Sikh, has a large supportive family both in England and Punjab, his parents having migrated to England from India in the late 1970s.
Panesar has been quoted as saying, “I follow Sikhism, and maybe I’ve channelled the discipline that religion creates into my cricket. There’s discipline with any religion, and you can take it into a game or into anything else." (The Sunday Times, August 06, 2006).
Away from cricket, he has a degree in computer science. Panesar has uncut hair and a full length beard, which is a fundamental part of the Sikh identity and way of life. He won the 2006 Beard of the Year competition run by the Beard Liberation Front.
Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, known in the game as Monty, quickly established himself as a national hero following a series-winning display against Pakistan in 2006.
With his black patka, softly spoken Bedfordshire burr and eager (if sometimes comical) fielding, he has rapidly become the fan's favourite. And with his plate-sized hands, England's most prized spinner in over a decade.
He took the well-trodden path from Bedfordshire, where he was born, to Northamptonshire, progressing through the youth teams until he was chosen to play for England Under-19s, which he did for two seasons. He then made his first-class debut, marking the game against Leicestershire with a return of eight for 131 in the match and four for 11 in the second innings. However, first-team opportunities were limited and after a mere two appearances in 2001 he played only six first-class matches in 2002. Even so, he took 17 wickets at just over 32 each and did enough to earn himself a place in the National Academy squad in Australia during the winter.
A fine season in 2005, when he took 46 Championship wickets at 21.54, was followed by a stint at the Darren Lehmann Academy in Adelaide, and led to calls from his coach at Northamptonshire, Kepler Wessels, for him to be picked for England's tour of India in February. Wessels got his wish and Panesar was handed his debut at Nagpur, picking up Sachin Tendulkar as his first Test wicket, followed by Mohammad Kaif and Rahul Dravid. His naturally attacking instincts - more often than not bowling around the wicket to right-handers - contrasted with his cherubic and unconfined celebrations at the fall of each and every wicket. Like a lamb let loose from the paddock, the effervescence he showed confirmed his insatiable hunger and love of the game.
But it was during his first international home season that his special ability was confirmed, spinning England to a series win over Pakistan. At Old Trafford he made the most of a helpful surface with eight wickets then, at Headingley, he was England's best bowler on a run-filled strip.
On 11 June 2007, Monty became the first English spinner to take 10 wickets in a match since Phil Tufnell when he returned match figures of 10/187. This was achieved against the West Indies in the Third Test at Old Trafford.
In a matter of months he had elevated himself to the position of England's senior spinner and climbed in the process to No. 6 in the world rankings.
