On December 23, the men’s selection committee named uncapped Tanush Kotian as R Ashwin’s replacement following Ashwin’s retirement after the drawn Gabba Test. While Kotian’s strong domestic performances earned him the spot, questions arose about his selection over Axar Patel.
Ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, skipper Rohit Sharma clarified that Axar was unavailable due to being on paternity leave.
“Tanush Kotian played here in Australia played a month back. Kuldeep I don’t think he has a visa and he is not 100% fit. Axar has a baby recently. Tanush is ready, we really want a back up in case we need two spinners here or Sydney. Tanush has shown what he’s capable of,” Rohit said in the pre-match press conference on December 24.
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Rohit hinted at the possibility of India fielding two spinners in the fourth and fifth Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. This, however, raises questions about why Ashwin wasn’t persuaded to postpone his retirement for the remaining matches of the series.
Kotian’s Performance for India A in Australia
Kotian featured in one of the two red-ball games for India A against Australia A, taking one wicket in the second innings. With the bat, he bounced back from a four-ball duck with a composed 44-run knock. The 28-year-old has 101 first-class wickets from 33 matches at an average of 25.70, including three five-wicket hauls.
He has also amassed 1,525 runs in 47 innings at an average of 41.21, with two centuries and 13 fifties. A standout performer for Mumbai in their Ranji Trophy triumph last season, Kotian scored 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and claimed 29 wickets at an average of 16.96.
In his most recent List A appearance during the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, the Mumbai all-rounder impressed with figures of 2/38 and an unbeaten 39 in a challenging run chase against Hyderabad.
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