Welshman Croft knows the Cardiff pitch inside out and feels England should pick two spinners but with Panesar partnering Graeme Swann – not rookie Adil Rashid.

England play a warm-up against Warwickshire at Edgbaston this week with Swann and left-armer Panesar together. Panesar’s honeymoon is over and he needs a big performance.

Leg-spinner Rashid, 21, will play for England Lions against Australia at Worcester where a good match may sway the selectors, especially with his batting and fielding skills. 

“I would go with Monty because it’s at Cardiff and because it’s over five days, not 20 overs which is how Adil has impressed us all recently,” Croft told Daily Star Sunday.

“I haven’t seen much of Adil but by all accounts he is developing nicely and has obviously made a positive impression on the England management.

“But they need to remember that in the Twenty20 World Cup he only had to bowl two-over spells. Against Australia he may need to be bowling 25 overs a day.

“The pitch at Cardiff turns more than any other in the country but it is also the slowest and that means a spinners’ flight and length has to be spot on.

“You have very little room for error as a spinner at Cardiff and it would be a tough ask to throw a youngster in on his Test debut against a team like Australia.

“Monty is down on confidence and the Australians will run at him, but with four left-handers in their top six he can definitely have a positive impact.

“I agree with Shane Warne that he has lacked variety but he is trying, it’s just not discreet enough at the moment, but he is still the man to partner Swanny.”

He added: “Swanny is having a golden spell. Some players have one big season while the better players have ten. Hopefully for England his current form will go and on.”