Monty Panesar ready for England call after starring role in warm up against Pakistan Cricket Board XI

''So if they want to play two spinners, I'm ready to play.''

Panesar cites his move from Northants to Sussex two years ago, and his experience as an overseas player in South Africa and Australia, as vital staging posts in his continued development and perhaps his rehabilitation as a Test bowler.

''I'm hungry to play Test cricket – and if or when the opportunity presents itself I've got to be ready,'' he said.

''I want to be part of this successful England team.

''I've been bowling well at Sussex and also had the responsibility of being an overseas player at Randwick Petersham in Sydney and also Highveld Lions.

''That extra responsibility develops you as a person and also helps your game as well.''

Panesar helped England to a 69-run first-innings lead on the second day of three at the GCA ground, before Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott bolstered the advantage by another 82 without loss at stumps.

The slow left-armer added: ''My belief is a lot stronger now. I think going overseas, to Sydney, helps with your self-belief.

''My confidence has grown, and that definitely helps your bowling.

''I've always stayed hungry to play Test cricket and always worked hard. That's why I moved to Sussex, to better my game and take on a major responsibility – leading the bowling attack.''

The 29-year-old, who was part of England's winning squad in last winter's Ashes but played only in the tour match against Australia A in Hobart, sees his near 30-month absence from Test cricket as an important learning curve rather than a fallow period.

''It's been a good period for me, in that I had to come out of my comfort zone,'' he said.

''Sometimes you've got to take a couple of steps back to go forward.

''I just said to myself: 'I've got to get in there, work hard and get my hands dirty'.''

As for his reacquaintance with Swann as a spin partner, that is a prospect he relishes.

''It's really exciting to have two spinners bowling in tandem, something Swanny and I did at Northants – and we're very comfortable bowling with each other and helping each other out,'' he added.

Australia ready to inflict more pain on Duncan Fletcher and India as they target a whitewash

Gautam Gambhir is little better, while Kohli has scored just 43 runs in four innings. There has not been a century anywhere.

So Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, whose dropping of a few catches has not silenced his sledging, has weighed in by observing that India “break quicker than anyone in the world” when under pressure.

Good on Zaheer Khan for retorting: “Brad Haddin should focus on his keeping. That looks really fragile to me.”

The truth, however, is that while India can draw some inspiration from a victory in Perth on their last tour in 2007/08, also when 2-0 down, there is a distinct possibility that this series could end 4-0, just as the calamitous Test series against England did last summer.

After some good performances at home against the West Indies – winning the Test series 2-0 and the one-day series 4-1 – and indeed a 5-0 one-day success over England, the age-old frailties abroad have resurfaced.

Quite simply, they don’t like it up ’em, a situation which is likely to be exaggerated on the bouncy surface at the Waca.

They will be helped, though, by the absence of the injured James Pattinson, the young fast bowler who scattered them to all parts in the first two Tests. He has joined Pat Cummins and Mitchell Johnson on the long-term injury list and is replaced by Ryan Harris.

Fletcher knew of these potential difficulties when taking the job. The leaving of some legends was always going to take place on his watch.

He was excited by the young talent, and it blossomed in that recent one-day series against England. It is with them that he can do his best work, and he is only eight months into a two-year task.

As his Australian counterpart, Mickey Arthur, said: “Technically Duncan is one of the best I’ve spoken to. He knows the game inside out.”

Before taking the job Fletcher talked long and hard with his predecessor Gary Kirsten, and has been careful not to alter the team’s regime from that which helped them scale the summit of the Test rankings and to win the World Cup. Kirsten would have taken them go-karting, too.

Besides, the tourists are due a day or two off. Since last summer, their treadmill has not stopped. After the fourth Test they play eight ODIs in a triangular tournament with the hosts and Sri Lanka, and a possible best-of-three final in March.

It may get worse before it gets better, for Fletcher and for his team.