London, Dec. 16 : Former England captain and opener Geoffrey Boycott is of the view that left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has not learnt a thing while playing top flight cricket, particularly in test cricket.

Recalling former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne's making this comment last year, Boycott endorsed it, and said Panesar and the current squad would do well to take a few lessons from their defeat against India in the first of two Tests that ended in Chennai on Monday.

"He (Warne) basically said Panesar has not learned a thing in Test cricket," said Boycott.

"To be a great spin bowler, it is not enough to spin the ball and bowl it on a length ball after ball. That is only the simple basics. You have to think batsmen out by subtlety and variation. You have to be able to cope with pressure. It demands a different mindset when you bowl in the fourth innings and have to get a team out to win the match," the former opener said.

"For a spinner there is no bigger pressure than bowling at Indian and Sri Lankan batsmen, because they are brought up with spin and are very, very good at playing it. Monty simply has a lot to learn," Boycott added.

While lauding England for sticking together as unit, Boycott says in article in the Telegraph, that with the ball jumping, turning and behaving unpredictably, Panesar should have delivered his side a much deserved victory rather than a most unexpected defeat.

"It is still a kick in the guts to lose. Even with the cocky, ebullient Kevin Pietersen as captain, all the upbeat talk in the world will not cover up this defeat," says Boycott in his article.

On this type of slow, unpredictable turning pitch the hardest time for a batsman is at the start of his innings. That is when you are vulnerable because the ball is turning and doing things. But once you get in, because it is so slow, you have time to wait and pick the length. As confidence grows it becomes much easier to bat, he said.

As far Sachin Tendulkar is concerned, Boycott says he showed all his experience, skill and ability.

"As he gets older, he does not dominate bowling as he did in his younger days. He does not have the same range of shots and has to use his brain instead. It makes no difference because he is just as effective as he ever was," Boycott said.

"Panesar and Tendulkar are two opposites. Panesar has talent but has learned nothing. Tendulkar is brilliant and has learned everything," he concludes in his article.
(ANI)