Former English spinner Monty Panesar showered praise on India's seasoned off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in anticipation of the upcoming five-match Test series between England and India. Both India and England are gearing up for the challenging Test series that will be commencing on January 25 in Hyderabad. 

3 things you need to know

• India won the last Test series against England on Indian soil
• R Ashwin and Axar Patel played crucial roles in securing the contest
• India will look to repeat the feat later this month

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England spinner lauds India ahead of Test series

With spin-friendly conditions expected, India's primary spinner, R Ashwin, is poised to play a pivotal role. The question remains whether England can effectively counter Ashwin's spinning prowess with their aggressive Bazball approach.

Monty Panesar, while speaking to Hindustan Times, commended Ashwin's remarkable evolution as a Test spinner for India. He lauded Ashwin for consistently adapting to varying conditions, contributing significantly to his team's success, and continually striving for improvement.

"He has had the mindset to keep adapting and bowling different deliveries. He kept getting better. It's not easy all the time to take a lot of wickets on turning pitches. He's been given turners at home, but you can see the way he adapts all the time. He's like an app, he keeps updating every six months! That's what he has done throughout his career," Monty said.

"I always find that I am a student when it comes to Ashwin's bowling. I feel I am continually learning something new about his bowling. That's the asset Ashwin is. He is a brilliant bowler," Monty added.