Monty Panesar will face his toughest challenge yet when England return to the land of his father this winter and try to win their first Test series in India for more than 20 years.

Bookmakers have already installed spinner Panesar as favourite to spearhead Kevin Pietersen's attack, predicting he will finish as leading wicket-taker ahead of fast bowlers Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Jimmy Anderson after December's back-to-back matches in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.

And, if England's last tour of India, two and half years ago, is anything to go by then Panesar can expect to find himself at the centre of attention in a country where the Luton-born Sikh is regarded as both friend and foe.

But, unlike 2006, when he was a debut-making rookie in an inexperienced team which did remarkably well to draw 1-1, the heat will be on Panesar from the outset as the now 26-year-old tries to prove he can step up to another level.

After 33 Tests, the left-arm finger spinner with a classical action has taken 114 wickets at 32 runs apiece.

And he has won matches, too — most recently against New Zealand at Old Trafford in May when second-innings figures of six for 37 set up a come-from-behind win.

However, the jury is not yet convinced that Panesar can turn into a great slow bowler, with performances like his one against South Africa at Lord's in July — nought for 116 from 60 overs in the last innings of the match — suggesting he lacks variation on a flat pitch.

"It looked as though Panesar was bowling the same ball again and again, waiting for batsmen to make a mistake," said Australian leg-spinning great Shane Warne after the South Africans had escaped with a draw.

"Spin bowling is not about where the ball lands but how it gets there."

Warne, and others, would like to see Panesar use more subtlety when pitches are not helping. And there is no guarantee the surfaces will offer him anything but slow turn in India.

He had to work very hard for his five wickets, in three Tests, in 2006 while last winter's trip to another part of the sub-continent saw Sri Lanka's batsmen keep him at bay for long periods with a total of 139 overs bringing only eight successes.

Now is the time for Panesar to prove he has more than a trick or two up his sleeve.

"We need everyone to kick on," said chief selector Geoff Miller after announcing a 15-man squad for the India trip. "Yes, we're going well, we're going forward and we're in a pretty good place with regards to both Test and one-day cricket. But to be the best in the world everyone has to kick on.

"Monty has shown what he is capable of doing and we're pleased with what he's done. Now, like everyone else, he's got to show us some more.

"He has to constantly work at his game. There's no time for breath-taking. He has to keep developing — as a bowler as well as a fielder and a batter.

"He can get better in those last two areas but he has to keep developing his game as a bowler as well.

"But to be fair to him, wherever he has played he's done pretty well, so it's a case of so far so good."

Despite ending the summer with a consolation Test victory over South Africa, and even though new captain Pietersen has been riding the crest of a wave, England will still go to India as underdogs.

"Of course we can win the series over there," said Miller. "There's no point going if we don't think we can win. And all the captain thinks about is winning. He wants to win, he wants to win well and he wants to win in an entertaining fashion.

"It's gone very well so far for Kevin. There will be tough times ahead, be it this winter or later on, but he's got a lot of senior players to help him out and the atmosphere is terrific."

Meanwhile, fast bowler Stuart Clark is worried by the recent bombings in Delhi ahead of Australia's four-Test series in India, which starts next week.

The latest blast came on Saturday, killing three people. Two weeks ago more than 30 died in five attacks.

The Third Test is scheduled to take place in Delhi. Cricket Australia are not seeking a change of venue but Clark admitted: "I'd be lying if I said there wasn't concern among the players."