New Delhi
There was a major change in the team for the next two matches of Border Gavaskar Trophy. Mumbai off-spinner Tanush Kotian has been called in Team India to fill the void left by the sudden retirement of Ravichandran Ashwin. He left for Australia after playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He will join his senior partner Rohit Sharma’s team in Melbourne. Kotian is the same player who played an important role in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy victory. However, he was disappointed when he remained unsold in the auction for IPL 2025.
BCCI said in a statement regarding Kotian, ‘The Men’s Selection Committee has selected all-rounder Tanush Kotian in the Indian team for the fourth and fifth Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.’ 26-year-old Kotian, who was part of the India A tour, has been kept in the team as cover for Washington Sundar. A board source told PTI, ‘Kotian has been kept in the team as security cover. If Vashi or Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) gets injured then only they will get a chance to play.
Just before leaving for Australia, he scored 39 not out and took two wickets for Mumbai in the Vijay Hazare match against Hyderabad. He scored 44 runs at number eight for India A at MCG. According to sources, Akshar Patel was to go to Australia, but he has asked for a break after the first two matches of Vijay Hazare Trophy due to family commitments. Let us tell you that in the 2023/24 Ranji Trophy, Kotian took 29 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 16.96.
He also scored 502 runs with the bat, including 5 half-centuries and a century, to earn Player of the Tournament in Mumbai’s 42nd Ranji Trophy title win. Overall Kotian has played 33 first-class matches. During this period, he has scored 2,523 runs at an average of 41.21, while taking 101 wickets at an average of 25.7, which also includes the feat of taking five wickets thrice. In Monday’s Group C match of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Kotian was named player of the match after his all-round performance of 2-38 and an unbeaten 39 off 37 balls with the bat, helping Mumbai win by three wickets.
