India v Australia: Monty Panesar compares Steve O'Keefe to a 'reliable' car
Monday 27 February 2017 17:39, UK
Australia's Steve O'Keefe is more "reliable Korean car" than prestige vehicle, according to former England spin bowler Monty Panesar.
Panesar, currently in a coaching role with the touring Australian side in India, meant it as a compliment about the left-arm spinner, who took a match-winning 12 wickets in the opening Test, in Pune.
Recalled for just his fifth Test since his 2014 debut against Pakistan, O'Keefe took 6-35 in each innings to finish with the biggest wicket-haul ever by a visiting spinner in India.
"When I first saw Steve, he asked me: 'what do you think of my bowling?' I said to him, 'you're like a Hyundai i30," said Panesar.
"He's very unassuming, very reliable. He gets you from A to B and gets the job done.
"I remember telling the team management before they left for India, 'O'Keefe will have the greatest impact'. That was my judgement and sometimes these things happen in cricket."
Panesar has also been playing grade cricket for Sydney club Campbelltown-Camden Ghosts, and faced O'Keefe in a match against Manly-Warringah in January.
O'Keefe had pulled out of the domestic Big Bash T20 tournament to play more red-ball cricket in the lead-up to the India tour and Panesar was impressed by what he saw as he was one of the Australian's nine victims in the first innings of the match.
"We had a chat at the game and I had an opportunity to look at his bowling," said Panesar. "He looks to set up batsmen and get them out. He's an intelligent cricketer.
"He knows his limitations but he's happy. He's happy with what he's got and tries to make the best of that. He doesn't look to be anyone else, just tries to be the best O'Keefe he can be."
Panesar has played 45 Test more than O'Keefe, the last of his 50 for England coming at the MCG during England's 5-0 Ashes whitewash in 2013/14, but the pair have shared a similar battle to overcome sceptics during their career, as well as suffering from moments of indiscipline off the field.
When playing for Sussex in 2013, Panesar was fined by police for being drunk and disorderly, while O'Keefe suffered the same fate after a drunken incident at a Sydney hotel soon after returning home injured from Australia's tour of Sri Lanka.
"Sometimes there are people out there who criticise you and that's a test of how much you want to make a comeback," added Panesar. "It's also it's a test of your self-belief and confidence.
"O'Keefe was brilliant, he mentioned something happened in Sydney, and then he said to me it had been over 150 days since he last drunk.
"It's a great story and it inspires people like us in our thirties to make a similar comeback."
Live Test Cricket
Watch continued coverage of Australia's four-Test tour of India with the second Test in Bangalore, live on Sky Sports 2 from 3.50am on Saturday.
