Table of Contents
Former England spinner Monty Panesar apologised to Australia batter Steve Smith over remarks made right before the Ashes series began in November last year.
Panesar appeared on the Stick to Cricket Podcast as a guest and talked about his latest controversy. The Stick to Cricket Podcast features former England captains Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook, alongside former England cricketers David Lloyd and Phil Tufnell.
The Steve Smith and Monty Panesar controversy
Right before the series, Panesar stated in an interview that Steve Smith shouldn't have become the captain of Australia again, and that the England players should make him feel 'guilty' about his crimes.
Steve Smith lost the Australia captaincy after admitting his role in the ball-tampering scandal in 2018. After regular skipper Pat Cummins was confirmed to be sitting out for most of the series, Smith was named the captain.
Panesar also said that the English media should apply pressure on Smith. "If it were the opposite, the Australian media would be all over it," Panesar said. "They would have said, if it were any of the English players, 'the cheaters have arrived.' Right?"
Smith responded to those comments in a press conference right before the series. Asked to respond to Panesar's comments, Smith instead took a dig at Panesar's appearance on the quiz show Mastermind in 2019.
Smith mocked Panesar for getting basic general knowledge questions wrong and said that he didn't pay heed to anyone who didn't have their basics right. Panesar then wrote a column in the Telegraph and doubled down on his comments.
"I don't think he wants to see me" - Panesar
On the Stick to Cricket Podcast, Panesar was asked how he came up with those comments and if he ever played together with Smith.
Panesar said that he did come up with his statement on his own, and that he never really played with Steve Smith, but did get him out once.
Panesar then said that he would apologise to Smith if he ever met the Australian again.
"I obviously came up with that statement [the first one], but now looking back at it, I think I'll probably say sorry if I ever see him again. I'll say 'sorry, I didn't mean to say that kind of stuff about you'. But I don't think he wants to see me," said Monty Panesar.
Panesar was asked if he'd ever messaged Smith, but said that he didn't have the Australian's phone number. "I'll message him, then", he said when Vaughan offered to provide the number.
Panesar admitted that he may have rattled Smith just a bit. "In the first innings [in the first Test of the series, at Perth], he played and missed about 50% of the balls he played. So, I think something did affect him because normally, in Australia, he just plays and misses about 10%," Panesar said.
Monty Panesar's England career
Monty Panesar was born to Indian parents in England and became the first Sikh player to represent England in cricket when he made his debut against India at Nagpur in 2006.
Between 2006 and 2013, Monty Panesar played 50 Tests, 26 ODIs, and 1 T20I for England. He took 164 Test wickets at an average of 34.71, 24 ODI wickets at an average of 40.83, and 2 T20I wickets at an economy of 10.
Panesar did not play limited-overs cricket for England outside his debut year in 2007, and played in the ODI World Cup that year.
Monty Panesar was a part of the England team that won the home Ashes in 2009, and the away Ashes in 2010/11, but his crowning glory as a player came in India in 2012.
In that series, which England won 2-1, Panesar took 17 wickets in 3 Tests, which included an 11-wicket match-haul in Mumbai, where he dismissed both Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni twice.
Also Read: Personal agenda! IPL owner allegedly orders bowling unit to target ex-captain during match
