Monty Panesar’s main claim to fame is that Sachin Tendulkar was his first Test wicket but in a meeting with Indian journalists in London on Friday, the former left-arm England spinner said DRS (Decision Review System) would have shown the ball drifting down leg, suggesting the world’s most famous batsman at the time wasn’t out.

Panesar’s opening remark to journalists seemed to be in earnest but when he was pressed by The Telegraph on Tendulkar’s dismissal, he hastily withdrew his remark, and claimed it had been a joke.

Much clearer were his comments on Virat Kohli, who he thought ought to retire before there was any risk of the current Indian captain overtaking Tendulkar’s batting records.

The statistics for the England-India Test at Nagpur from March 1-5, 2006, reveal: “Sachin Tendulkar lbw Panesar 16.”

Panesar, who is now 37 and has just brought out his autobiography, The Full Monty — the name is taken from a British film in which men in a mining village make a living by stripping on stage — was talking to members of the Indian Journalists’ Association about his cricketing days which he hopes can still be revived.

He began: “I would be happy to answer any questions you would like to ask me about The Full Monty, about my cricket career, about the first moment of taking Sachin Paaji as my (first) Test wicket which I am sure if there was DRS system in place (would show the ball) probably going down leg….”

This was a startling claim because Panesar’s career has been defined to a great extent by that singular moment of triumph.

Did he mean Sachin wasn’t out?

Panesar: “I don’t know….in my humble opinion, I was very lucky to be on the same field as him….when I got that first Test wicket it was like...I was in disbelief …I was like, was it really out?

“On a serious note I would say it was out….because it is nice to have Sachin Tendulkar as your first Test wicket. To be honest if I didn’t get his first Test wicket I don’t think I would have been known as well worldwide because of Sachin Paaji — everyone know who he is.

“I was obviously just joking…..I didn’t mean that….”

Question: “If there had been DRS, would Tendulkar been given out or not out?”

From Panesar, a not entirely clear answer: “We don’t know that because we need to do the DRS on that…”

Question: “Was there a corridor of uncertainty?”

Panesar: “No there isn’t. You ask Aleem Dar — he thought he was out and gave the finger…”

Question: “What if DRS had been there?”

Panesar: “But that’s a what if….because you don’t know the technology detail. At the time DRS wasn’t there.”

Question: “But you said DRS would have shown the ball probably drifting down leg?”

Panesar: “But that was a joke. In my mind I don’t know if he was out or not. At the time, if you want my honest opinion, I thought it hit the pad and naturally as a cricketer you just appeal. And you think I can see the whole pad, I don’t see the stumps , gosh with my judgement I’d better appeal because that looks out. And then I appealed and the umpire has given it out and I start doing this celebration …that joy, that energy, just loving that moment. And it’s that moment that I captured. What I am trying to say if it was another batsman, I don’t think people would know Monty Panesar worldwide.”

His reasoning on why he did not want Kohli to break Tendulkar’s records was eloquently argued.

Panesar: “I want Sachin Paaji to be the greatest and no one (should) ever break that record.”

IJA president Naresh Kaushik cut in: “Not even Virat Kohli?”

Panesar: “No, I would rather him retire.”

An incredulous Kaushik persists: “Hang on, you want Virat Kohli to retire before he breaks Sachin Tendulkar’s record?”

Panesar sticks to his guns: “Sachin Tendulkar should be at the top. Yeah, because in the early ’90s when India was a developing nation and we needed a hero, we needed a role model ,even our British Asian community, Indian communities worldwide, in India as well — that is what Sachin Paaji provided.

“Not just cricketing abilities. He gave a decade, he lifted a whole nation of people — the business, the economy, everything — one single handed sportsman did that. I don’t think another sportsman could do that. In football or any other thing. For me he will always be the greatest sportsman ever.”

Question: “Not just a cricket?”

Panesar: “No, the greatest sportsman ever because of the magnitude of what he did for India as a nation. India at that time was a developing nation. It didn’t have what it has now — (it’s a )superpower now …Now the tables have turned. But that is what he has done. He is always going to be the God of cricket and he should always remain as that.”