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England spinner Monty Panesar is ready to prove he deserves to be ranked in the world’s top 10 bowlers by reproducing his Nagpur heroics against India this summer.

Panesar made his Test debut in the Indian city in May 2006 and marked the occasion by trapping the great Sachin Tendulkar lbw for his first Test wicket.

Later in the same innings Panesar produced an unplayable delivery to bowl Mohammad Kaif for 91 and then claimed Rahul Dravid.

Since that day, Panesar has claimed six five-wicket hauls in Test cricket and rocketed up the International Cricket Council rankings to sixth in the world.

Panesar believes he is still some way off from being the finished article - but he is relishing the chance to test himself once more against India’s formidable batting line-up.

He said: “I don’t feel like I am a top 10 bowler, I still feel like a baby compared to other spinners out there. I have got a lot to learn.

“India have such an experienced batting line-up who have dominated world-class spinners. I will probably just gain a lot by playing against them and learning about the way they play spin.

“It is exciting to play against world class players. I want to make the most of the opportunities.”

One of Panesar’s most prized cricketing posession is the match ball Tendulkar signed for him after his debut.

As he handed the ball over, Tendulkar joked: “That will never happen again”.

Panesar holds ‘The Little Maestro’ in such high regard he still insists it was a “lucky” wicket.

But the other 64 on his Test record indicate otherwise - and England would love Panesar to prove Tendulkar wrong more than once as they look to build on their 3-0 Test series win over the West Indies.

“It was a great feeling to get my first Test wicket. Sachin was my childhood hero and somehow it hit the pad before the bat!” said Panesar.

“Then you start celebrating, running towards point then third man and fine leg!

“When you play against such great players, that is the impact they have on you. Your energy comes out and you are flying.

“It is one of my most treasured moments. That ball is precious and kept safely in my bedroom.”

Panesar has now retuned his mind from the one-day international series to the Test challenge that lies ahead against the Indians.

Kevin Pietersen today blamed England’s disappointing 2-1 limited overs series defeat to the West Indies on fatigue and demanded the authorities allow players time for a proper rest.

But Panesar would rather be playing. He claimed six for 65 as he bowled Northampton to victory against Gloucestershire yesterday and that, he believes, is the best possible preparation for a Test series.

“The four-day game for Northamptonshire gave me a good opportunity to get my head back onto Test cricket from the one-day internationals and bowling 50 overs helps make that transition,” he said.

“From a spinner’s point of view, we like to bowl a lot of overs and so from my point of view I like to play to keep my rhythm going.

“But you can udnerstand from a batsman and fast bowlers’ point of view that they need rest. I thoroughly agree with what Kevin Pietersen was saying. It certainly does affect players.”

After his match-winning exploits for Northants, Panesar was back on home soil on Thursday at Luton Town and Indian Cricket Club, filming an advert to help promote npower’s Big Ticket scheme.

Sri Lanka bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has shot to the defence of would-be Pakistan coach Dav Whatmore.

Whatmore, favourite to land the Pakistan coaching vacancy, has been the subject of a scathing attack from former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to turn their back on the 53-year-old.

But Muralitharan, who played under Whatmore in Sri Lanka’s victorious 1996 World Cup campaign, has hailed the former Australia batsman as a “great man” and believes his management skills are beyond reproach.

He told the Daily Mirror: “Dav has done a good service for Sri Lanka.

“We won the World Cup and 10 Test matches in a row under him. If he is not good, how could he have achieved this? He is a great coach and I don’t doubt his abilities.

“Whatmore’s man-management skills and handling of the team were perfect.”

Former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu’s return to international cricket has all but been confirmed following his inclusion in a 16-man team to face India A in two Tests and two limited-overs matches.

Taibu, who quit as Zimbabwe captain in November 2005, has been training with the team for over a week while negotiating over a new contract with Zimbabwe Cricket.

India A’s tour of Zimbabwe gets under way on July 22.

Zimbabwe Select squad: Terrence Duffin, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brenda Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya (captain), Edward Rainsford, Christopher Mpofu, Gary Brent, Trevor Garwe, Tawanda Mupariwa

Retired paceman Glenn McGrath is the only member of Australia’s successful World Cup squad not selected in the side’s provisional 30-man squad for the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 later this year.

Selectors have named seven players yet to have a taste of international action, including Tasmanian trio George Bailey, Luke Butterworth and Brendan Drew.

Butterworth rose to prominence in first-class ranks when he made scores of 66 and 103 and grabbed four for 33 in Tasmania’s maiden Pura Cup triumph earlier this year.

Other uncapped players named in the squad, which will be cut to 15 in mid-July, are Bushrangers duo David Hussey and Andrew McDonald, Queensland paceman Ashley Noffke, dashing Western Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi and his Warriors team-mate Marcus North.

Victorian pair Cameron White and Shane Harwood, who both starred in Australia’s Twenty20 victory over England in January, were both selected as was promising Tasmanian swingman Ben Hilfenhaus.

The selectors have named just two spinners, picking South Australian Dan Cullen as Brad Hogg’s back-up.

Speedster Brett Lee is in line to make his international return at the tournament after missing the World Cup due to an ankle injury.

James Hopes, Adam Voges and Phil Jaques were also named in the squad.

“The squad of 30 recognises the outstanding performance of the ICC World Cup-winning squad earlier this year and at the same time the stand-out performances of some of our young players in last year’s domestic KFC Big Bash Twenty20 competition,” said national selection panel chairman Trevor Hohns.

“We believe we’ve picked a squad of 30 specifically for the game of Twenty20 cricket with a view to Australia becoming a force in this form of the game.”

Selectors will reconvene in mid-July to trim the squad to 15 and discuss the make-up of the Australia A side for their Travelex Tour to Pakistan in September and the squad for the Travelex tour of India for a series of one-day internationals in early October.

Australia preliminary squad for ICC World Twenty20:
Ricky Ponting (c), Adam Gilchrist (vc), George Bailey, Nathan Bracken, Luke Butterworth, Stuart Clark, Michael Clarke, Dan Cullen, Brendan Drew, Brad Haddin, Shane Harwood, Matthew Hayden, Ben Hilfenhaus, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, James Hopes, David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Andrew McDonald, Ashley Noffke, Marcus North, Luke Ronchi, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Adam Voges, Shane Watson, Cameron White