Monty Panesar, England’s former spin wizard, has unexpectedly found himself in the middle of the Ashes build-up for Friday’s first Test.
The reason? Not a magic delivery or a stunning catch—but his infamous appearance on BBC’s Celebrity Mastermind back in 2019.
The Ashes are already brimming with tension, and Panesar decided to stir the pot further, jokingly encouraging England to revive the memory of Australia’s sandpaper scandal involving Steve Smith.
Little did he know, Smith had a perfectly crafted comeback waiting, armed with Panesar’s own televised quiz meltdown.
From Sikh History to General Knowledge Chaos
Panesar’s quiz journey began strongly. On his specialist subject—Sikh religion and history—he racked up a respectable six points.
But the wheels came off when he moved into the general knowledge round.
“Like the Titanic ramming the Hindenburg,” Panesar told Daily Mail Sport when reflecting on the disaster.
The mishaps ranged from amusing to downright head-scratching:
-
Asked about snooker pockets: nailed it with six.
-
Zodiac sign for a crab? A shaky “Sagittar—Scorpion” earned a correction: Cancer.
-
A.A. Milne adaptation of The Wind in the Willows? “Harry Potter” flopped, correct answer: Toad of Toad Hall.
-
Henry VIII’s sixth wife? Elizabeth turned out wrong; the right answer was Jane.
And it kept going—Kelvin, Singapore, the sea, The Full Monty, Munich, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, diamonds, Five Guys Named Moe, autumn, Boston, and finally, the Census.
The man who could bamboozle batsmen with flighted spin struggled with basic pop culture and geography.
Steve Smith’s Comeback
Smith didn’t let the opportunity slip. At a press conference, he referenced Panesar’s Mastermind mishaps as a cheeky way of keeping the mind games alive ahead of the first Ashes Test.
Fans and journalists alike couldn’t help but laugh at the juxtaposition of Panesar, cricket cult hero, versus the unforgiving black leather chair of Mastermind.
A Cult Hero’s Human Moment
Panesar’s meltdown has since become part of cricket folklore, a reminder that even sporting icons have their off days—and that wit and humility can sometimes shine brighter than points on a board.
Despite the quiz calamity, his charm and candour continue to endear him to fans, proving that sometimes it’s the moments off the pitch that become the most memorable.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn