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Australia have turned to English spinner Monty Panesar in a bid to improve their woeful record in India.
The left-arm tweaker will begin work as a consultant this week ahead of Australia’s departure for the four-Test series starting in Pune on February 23.
The 50-Test veteran Panesar, who plays with Campbelltown in Sydney first grade, will work with off-spinner Steve O’Keefe at Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.
“I’ll definitely be picking his brains,” O’Keefe told Sky Sports Radio on Tuesday.
“It’s a good opportunity again to head up to Brisbane on the spinning wickets and Monty, he’s got an outstanding Test record and a really good one in India.”
Panesar’s advice won’t be limited to slow bowlers as Australia’s batsman prepare to do battle with star Indian spinners Ravi Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
The pair took 54 wickets between them as the world No.1 side hammered England in their recent five-Test series victory.
Australian opening batsman Matt Renshaw will join Panesar and O’Keefe in Brisbane while Queensland coach Phil Jacques is set to oversee their sessions.
“”Obviously there has been a question mark over Australian batsmen in away series and so I hope to be able to give them a hand with that stuff and obviously help with the spin bowlers as well,” Panesar told News Corp Australia.
Australia has not won a Test in India since 2004 and their last series victory in Asia came against Sri Lanka in 2011.
The 34-year-old Panesar took 17 wickets in three matches when England beat India on their home soil in 2012.
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