On the eve of completing his 100th appearance in test matches, explosive Indian opener Virender Shehwag was showered with lavish praise by none other than skipper M.S Dhoni. In a press conference Dhoni said that the fiery batsman has a distinct mindset that makes him exceptional and his approach to the game has always remain positive irrespective of his form.

"The crucial decision that he made in his career was when he decided that he will open the innings. I think that was a big challenge for him but he accepted it. His stats are one of the best stats that you can see. He is someone who is very different to a lot of individuals. His thinking is entirely different," Dhoni said at the pre-match press conference here today.

"He has got a very important role right from the very start. He is someone who can play shots right from the very first delivery, which means if the bowler is off target, he looks to put pressure on the bowler," Dhoni said. "We have seen once the batsmen get after the bowlers and if they score a few boundaries off the bowler, then it is very difficult for them to get back into the game," he added.

The 34-year-old Sehwag is on the verge of becoming only the ninth Indian player to reach the 100-Test club list, which his idol Sachin Tendulkar tops with 191 under his belt.

(AW-Jyotishman)