By Paresh Soni

England's recent past is littered with spin casualties - slow bowlers whose international careers went nowhere fast.

Panesar is renowned as a big spinner of the ball

Remember left-armer Min Patel? The selectors forgot him after two Tests against India 10 years ago.

What about Jason Brown? He went to Sri Lanka and spent most of the time carrying drinks out on to the field, while fellow off-spinner Martyn Ball managed one warm-up match in India.

Young leg-spinner Chris Schofield was handed a central contract in 2000 but has disappeared off the radar altogether.

So what chance Monty Panesar making the breakthrough and filling - with all due respect to the hard-working Ashley Giles - England's spin vacuum on a long-term basis?

With fellow left-armer Giles a major doubt through injury, Mudhsuden Singh Panesar is likely to become the first Sikh to represent England on their three-Test tour of India which begins next month.

Yet outside the hardy band of county cricket followers, few people have seen anything of the tall 23-year-old, whose family are from Punjab but who was born and brought up in Luton.

For those who have missed out, the statistics make impressive enough reading: 46 Championship wickets at 21.54 in just eight matches last summer.

Worcestershire off-spinner Gareth Batty and Yorkshire captain Craig White saw Panesar inflict defeats on their teams last season and believe he can offer England's seam-dominated bowling attack the kind of variation it has been craving.

The big test is when he plays on flatter pitches - when it turns England have always had people who can do a reasonable job Gareth Batty

Batty, who has slipped down the Test pecking order behind his younger rival, saw signs of a potential match-winner in 2002 when both were picked for the England Academy squad.

"I went to Australia with him so I know what a good bowler he is," he told BBC Sport.

"He is somebody who was identified as a youngster, so has always been in people's minds.

"He turns the ball and bowls it quite quickly. He had a fantastic season and has been given a crack."

Panesar took 10 wickets to condemn Yorkshire to defeat on a Wantage Road pitch which former England all-rounder White describes as "one of the biggest turners I'd played on for a long time".

"Monty bowls it pretty quickly and gets a lot of turn and bounce because he's a tall lad," he continued.

"He's got a nice action and bowls it from very high so it's not just the turn - he's got good bounce as well. I think it's a good choice by England."

Panesar's best returns have come on a dry home surface geared very much to aiding his partnership with Brown.

This series is crucial for him - if he does well I think he's got a long time in the game at England level Craig White

But his form away from Northamptonshire is nowhere near as eye-catching, and Batty believes he will have plenty to prove in India.

"The big test is when he plays on flatter pitches," he explained. "When it turns England have always had people who can do a reasonable job.

"Wickets are getting flatter and flatter worldwide and bowlers in general aren't as devastating as they used to be.

"I don't think that's through lack of skill - I think the wickets have an impact, just look at the series going on in Pakistan.

"But Monty's been working hard on his game. Good luck to him - I'm sure he will do well."

White also believes England's new spin hope faces a tough examination against the likes of Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.

But he feels he has the weapons to come out on top - and enjoy a long stay at cricket's top table.

"He's done his time on the county circuit and now's the time to see how good he is. I think he'll do well," he added.

"Pitches on the subcontinent are not turning as much as they used to but there will be turn there for him.

"It's a massive test playing against some of the best batters in the world but I think he's level-headed enough to not get fazed by the situation.

"They will be tough conditions and the pitches are flat - it's a tough place to play - but there is help for the spinners, you just have to look at it as a challenge and relish it.