Sadde Spin, It's Coming In To You

So I guess it’s fine if he plays for England." Monty’s grandparents and several uncles and aunts live in Ludhiana and Patiala. Perhaps conscious of the emotions surrounding his Mohali appearance, and fearing that it might affect his performance, the England team media manager has not given Monty permission for media interviews. Paramjit, though, has been most forthcoming: "They told us at the beginning itself that he should not speak to the media in Punjab. It will put too much pressure on him and disturb his concentration."

The rest of the extended family isn’t too perturbed by the fact that Monty is playing against India. "Even if India wins, what matters to us is that Monty plays well. After all, it’s just a game," says uncle Prabhijit, who lives in Yamunanagar. Though Monty is a computer management graduate, the family wants him to concentrate on cricket for now.