Monty Panesar Writes To 18 First-Class Counties To Revive Career

Former England spinner Monty Panesar has revealed he has sent letters to all 18 first-class counties in an attempt to revive his career.

The left-arm spinner found fame playing for his country in 50 test matches from 2006-2013, taking 167 test wickets with his off-spin bowling.

However, divorce, alcohol, inappropriate behaviour and total lack of confidence brought a premature end to his international cricket career. His international career started derailing after the emergence of Graeme Swann towards the end of the last decade. He soon lost his place in the national team as well as the central contract.

However, England came calling when he took 69 wickets in the 2011 county season. The spinner made it to the team for the series against Pakistan In the UAE. He played in the second Test which his first Test appearance in over two and a half years. Panesar also played in 3 Test matches in India in 2012, helping his country register a historic series win.

His last international series was against Australia in the 2013–14 Ashes though he has not announced retirement yet.

His first-class career also suffered the same fate. Panesar left Northamptonshire at the end of 2009 to join Sussex.

But the move ended on a disastrous note. Sussex released Panesar after a drunken incident outside a nightclub in 2013. He moved to Essex but struggled for regular first-team cricket and was unavailable for selection in 2015 because of off-field issues. In 2016, he re-joined Northamptonshire but failed to feature regularly. He later spoke about his struggles with anxiety and paranoia.

And Panesar is now eyeing to revive his career and has written to all the county teams for roping him in.

“I’m hoping that one of the county coaches can give me a go – give me a net, give me a trial,” he told BBC World Service.

“I still have huge ambitions to play in the professional game,” he added.

Panesar currently plays club cricket for Hornchurch in Essex.

“One of my goals is that I want to play county cricket again,” he said.

“I want to hopefully get an opportunity somewhere with a team because I still have that desire.”