Monty Panesar interview: ‘England don’t need Jofra Archer in Tests anymore’
On one side was England, a team that had suffered defeat in Pakistan just a month earlier and hadn’t won an away Test series in two years. On the other was New Zealand, riding high after a sensational series sweep in India. England hadn’t won a Test series in New Zealand for 16 years, and the Black Caps were expected to prevail again.
However, Ben Stokes’ men overturned the odds, delivering a commanding performance to seal the three-match series with a game to spare.
As far as former England spinner Monty Panesar is concerned, the visitors’ superiority in fast bowling was the decisive factor behind their emphatic victories in the first two Tests.
In the opening game, Brydon Carse became the first England bowler since Panesar in 2012 to claim a match haul of 10 wickets in an away game, while the second Test saw Gus Atkinson take center stage with a vital first-innings hat-trick.
“I was very impressed by Carse,” Panesar told Sports Gazette. “England have discovered an amazing talent. He reminds me of Andrew Flintoff – he’s a wholehearted bowler with a strong action, delivers a heavy ball, and is both fast and aggressive. It didn’t surprise me when Sunrisers Hyderabad picked him up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction because that’s exactly what that tournament looks for: a young fast bowler with a bit of a shock factor. I believe Carse will perform well in the IPL.”
When it comes to England’s fast bowling department, a persistent concern has been Jofra Archer’s prolonged absence due to injuries. While Stokes recently revealed that the Barbados-born pacer is “very interested” in returning to Test cricket, where he hasn’t featured since February 2021, Panesar suggested that England might need to consider alternative plans for the longest format.
“With the likes of Carse, Atkinson, Chris Woakes and Olly Stone performing well, I think England don’t really need Archer in Tests anymore,” said the former left-arm spinner, who played 77 international matches, including 50 Tests, and picked 193 wickets.
“It might be wiser to have Archer focus on the white-ball formats and prepare for World Cups. For Tests, relying on bowlers less prone to injuries could be a more practical approach.”
Spin domination
Overall, 2024 has also been an impressive year for spin bowling in the longest format. Compared to the previous five years, spinners have made a significantly greater impact both at home and away. Despite batters adopting increasingly aggressive approaches, spinners have consistently delivered breakthroughs and claimed more five-wicket hauls than in recent years.
A look at how spinners have fared in Test cricket in recent years (stats courtesy ESPNcricinfo):
“The key to spin bowling is finding the quickest pace at which you can bowl while still getting the ball to turn,” said Panesar.
“If you can do it at around 60 mph, that’s brilliant. If you can go even quicker while maintaining turn, that’s even better. Traditionally, 55 mph was considered fast, and when I first started, I was one of the quicker spinners who could still turn the ball. Many spinners are adapting to this, which is why they’re becoming more attacking options. Captains feel confident knowing spinners can deliver a ball that turns sharply or skids on quickly, creating wicket-taking opportunities and relieving pressure on the pacers.”
Bashir’s surge
For England, it’s young Shoaib Bashir who has emerged as the premier spinner since making his debut in India earlier this year. The 21-year-old off-spinner has claimed 47 wickets in 17 Tests, including three five-wicket hauls, and delivered a game-changing four-for in the opening innings of the ongoing Test series against New Zealand.
“Bashir’s X-factor is his height,” said Panesar. “Few spinners have such a high release point, making it difficult for batters to adjust unless they’ve specifically trained against it on a bowling machine. His ability to take early wickets has been highly impressive and a great asset to the pacers. Where he could improve is in becoming a match-winner in the second innings. On turning pitches, the challenge will be to step up and bowl a side out. His height gives him extra bounce, and on pitches that don’t offer much turn, his defensive angles become an unexpected attacking weapon. However, as the pitch starts to turn, he needs to adjust his lines. Instead of his natural off-stump line with drift, he could work on bowling wider from the crease and targeting a fifth-stump line to fully exploit the conditions.”
Although England’s on-field performance has been commendable, captain Ben Stokes ignited a debate by challenging the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) rules on over-rates. Both England and New Zealand were penalised three World Test Championship points and fined 15% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate in the first Test.
Stokes argued that the ICC could have shown leniency since the match ended within four days, but Panesar maintained that the governing body made the right decision.
“At the end of the day, if spectators aren’t getting value for money, the ICC has every right to take action,” said Panesar. “Teams can’t keep making the same mistakes. Winning a Test match quickly – like needing only 100-odd runs in the fourth innings and finishing it off in no time – doesn’t excuse failing to bowl the required 90 overs per day. Discipline matters, and if teams don’t meet this standard, they’ll be penalised. Other teams around manage it, so there’s no reason England shouldn’t. They’re not an exception to the rules.”
