Madhusudan Singh Panesar

MADHUSUDAN SINGH PANESAR - FIRST SIKH TO PLAY IN ENGLAND TEAM

Mudhsuden Singh Panesar (born April 25, 1982 in Luton, Bedfordshire), popularly known as Monty Panesar, is an English cricketer and first Sikh who played in England's national cricket team.

An attacking left-arm spinner with a classical action, Panesar plays Test cricket for England and county cricket for Northamptonshire. Born to Punjabi parents, he is the first Sikh to represent a nation other than India in test cricket. Panesar sports a trademark black patka (a smaller version of the full Sikh turban) while playing and in cricket training.

Panesar's parents migrated to England from India in the late 1970s. He has a large supportive family both in England and Punjab. 35 of his family members attended the test against India at Mohali, Punjab in March 2006.

He has uncut hair and a full length beard, which is a fundamental part of the Sikh identity and way of life. Panesar himself has been quoted as saying, “I follow Sikhism, and maybe I’ve channelled the discipline that religion creates into my cricket. There’s discipline with any religion, and you can take it into a game or into anything else."