The fifth and final Test match between India and England, scheduled to commence on Thursday in Dharamsala, is anticipated to feature a slow-turning pitch, as reported by the Indian Express. Untimely rainfall has hindered the ground staff’s efforts to prepare the surface, prompting discussions between the curators and the Indian team management regarding the pitch’s composition.
India’s spinners have been instrumental in securing the series victory for the hosts, and the Dharamsala pitch is expected to provide ample assistance to the likes of Rohit Sharma and his teammates. The slow and turning nature of the surface will favor the Indian spinners, who have played a pivotal role in the team’s success throughout the series.
Meanwhile, the Test match will witness a historic milestone as India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and England’s batter Jonny Bairstow will become only the fourth pair of players to feature in their 100th Test match together. This exclusive club includes former England captain Michael Atherton and Alec Stewart, who achieved the feat against the West Indies in 2000.
In 2006, South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, and Stephen Fleming played their 100th Test in the South Africa-New Zealand match in Centurion. The third instance occurred in 2013 when Alastair Cook and Michael Clarke reached the milestone during the England-Australia Ashes contest in Perth.
Ashwin and Bairstow will represent their respective teams in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, marking the second occasion when two players from opposing teams will play their 100th Test in the same game. Notably, just a day after the India-England match concludes, New Zealand captain Tim Southee and his predecessor Kane Williamson will also play their 100th Test together.
