England Ashes-winning hero Ashley Giles has conceded Old Trafford star Monty Panesar must now be recognised as the team's number one spinner.
Panesar showed great skill to remove five specialist Pakistan batsmen on Saturday as England won the first Test.
And the injured Giles, also a left-arm slow bowler, told Five Live: "Monty in this last game performed superbly and he's now the man in possession.
"I have to get my place back. That's the danger when you get injured."
Giles said his immediate concern was to get back and bowling "in any form of cricket".
He admitted: "I can't bowl and I can't run. The actual process of rehab is going really well but it's just another four weeks before I reach that point."
The 33-year-old, a veteran of 52 Tests, has played no competitive cricket this calendar year.
"I still have slight reservations about Monty's batting and his fielding"
After leaving the Pakistan tour early last November, he underwent an initial hip operation.
But when that failed to clear up his injury, he needed another at the start of July.
Giles is hopeful of making a return before the Ashes tour, and his plans include the ICC Champions Trophy in India in October.
But for now, he is happy to sing the praises of Panesar, a man nine years his junior who has played just eight Tests.
"Monty is a brilliant technician," said Giles.
"He works extremely hard, he has lovely drift on the ball, puts lots of revolutions on it and turns the ball.
"His consistency is something that has impressed me since he has come into the team."
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However, England coach Duncan Fletcher has stressed the need for Panesar to develop into an all-round cricketer if he is to establish himself as the country's number one spinner.
"Monty is a very good bowler, but we have to produce 11 players who can produce two of the departments efficiently," said Fletcher.
"I still have slight reservations about his batting and his fielding, but he's an outstanding bowler and there's no-one else at the moment who can fulfil that role.
"If you work hard at your fielding you can really improve that a great deal. It's not easy to turn you into a number six batter, but you need to work at those two areas."
Asked who is now the number one spinner in England's set-up, Fletcher said: "It will depend on when Ashley is going to be ready and how Monty bowls on other wickets.
"We'll have to make a decision when Giles is ready. We'll also have to look at the balance of the side.
"It was a good wicket for Monty to bowl on and he bowled damn well on it. There was a lot of pressure on him as an individual because the wickets really suited a spinner.
"But he went out there and bowled a good line and length and spun the ball on occasions a great deal."