Mumbai offspin-bowling allrounder Tanush Kotian has received a call-up to replace R Ashwin in India’s squad for the fourth and fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests. Kotian will travel to Melbourne on Tuesday after Ashwin’s retirement following the third Test in Brisbane. Currently in Ahmedabad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kotian will back up spinners Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, with Axar Patel unavailable.
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is currently tied 1-1, and the fourth Test begins on Thursday. Kotian’s inclusion was a pragmatic decision, as he has been in form domestically. Rohit Sharma joked about Kotian’s call-up, stating, “Tanush was the right option for us at this point,” emphasizing Kotian’s strong performances in domestic cricket.
Tanush Kotian, 26, has an impressive first-class record with 101 wickets at an average of 25.70 and 1525 runs at 41.21, including two centuries and 13 fifties. His standout performances in Mumbai’s 2023-24 Ranji Trophy campaign, where he scored 502 runs and took 29 wickets, earned him the Player-of-the-Tournament award. Tanush Kotian was also part of India A’s tour to Australia, contributing with both bat and ball.
This call-up positions Tanush Kotian as a promising future option for India’s Test setup, alongside fellow rising star Manav Suthar. Kotian’s versatile skillset makes him a valuable backup for India’s spinners in the crucial Tests against Australia.
