New Delhi: India captain Rohit Sharma was all praise for teammate Ravichandran Ashwin who will play his 100th Test match when India take on England in Dharamsala for the fifth and final Test. Addressing the media on Wednesday, Rohit lauded Ashwin, terming him a ‘rare’ talent and critical for the team’s success. The Test is a dead rubber as India have already taken an unassailable lead of 3-1 and England will eye to make it 3-2.

The match, which will take place at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium is already making headlines due to the surreal venue where it is being held. The ground is entrapped within snowy mountains and brings pleasant views along with the cricket entertainment but it has become more significant due to the 100-Test milestone set to be achieved by Ashwin and England batter Jonny Bairstow.

“(It’s a) big achievement for any player to play 100 Tests. It is a big milestone. He has been a match winner for us. What he has done for us, no praise is enough. His performances over the last five-seven years, every series he has contributed. It is rare to have players like him,” Rohit said. He was in some light mood as he reminisced him playing U19 with Ashwin when the off-spinner used to open and he used to bowl, later becoming a full-time batter. Ashwin has 507 Test wickets to his name and became only the second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to breach the 500-wicket mark.

Rajat Patidar, who debuted in the series has been on a horrendous batting run and can rather said to be struggling in the middle. Other debutants like Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel have already made their marks but Patidar is yet to strike. “Rajat Patidar has very good abilities. I like him. I see him as a talented player. We need to give him some more time,” Rohit said.

Rohit further lauded Team India’s ability to come back from difficult situations and put the pressure back on the opposition. He then talked about the Dharamsala pitch expecting it to be a good one saying, “Looks like a typical Indian pitch. There will be some movement when the temperature drops but looks like a good pitch.”