The captain of india, Rohit Sharma, gave a humorous explanation for why Tanush Kotian, an off-spinning all-rounder from mumbai, was selected for the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
The decision to bring up Kotian was accelerated when Rohit made a light-hearted comment about kuldeep Yadav's lack of a visa prior to the Boxing Day Test. He promptly stressed, though, that Kotian's participation was contingent upon his performance and preparedness for the position.Tanush was here a month ago, yes. I don't believe kuldeep has a visa. We needed someone to arrive as soon as possible. It was Tanush who was prepared. It's only a joke. This is where he played. He's adequate. He has demonstrated his abilities in domestic cricket during the past one to two years. During the pre-game press conference, Rohit clarified, "We really wanted a backup in case we need two spinners playing here or in Sydney. You need a backup option."
Before being called up, 26-year-old Kotian was competing for mumbai in the present vijay hazare Trophy. Kotian is a reliable batter and a talented off-spinner who has been one of Mumbai's most impressive domestic cricket players. Notably, he helped mumbai win the Ranji Trophy again the previous season by scoring 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and taking 29 wickets at a remarkable average of 16.96.
Rohit emphasised Kotian's versatility and recent exploits, which made him a useful backup. The choice to acquire Kotian also filled in any possible holes in the team that might have arisen from Axar Patel's absence after the birth of his child and kuldeep Yadav's continued recuperation from hernia surgery.
"Obviously, kuldeep is not completely fit because he had surgery to repair a hernia. Additionally, Axar, one of the other alternatives, had just given birth and was unable to travel. For us, Tanush was the best choice. He has undoubtedly demonstrated his abilities at the domestic level. He most likely contributed to Mumbai's Ranji Trophy victory the previous year. As an all-rounder, he was crucial. Excellent choice for us; every aspect is covered," Rohit continued.
During their recent trip of Australia, Kotian played for india A and did well in the red-ball matches. Because of his readiness and experience with Australian circumstances, he was able to join the team in melbourne without any issues with his visa.
on the later Test matches of the series, Rohit alluded to the possibility of india fielding two spinners, especially on spin-friendly venues like Sydney. Ravichandran Ashwin's recent retirement following the third Test in Brisbane, however, was also called into question by the decision. The management chose to honour Ashwin's choice to retire from international cricket, even though his presence may have brought stability to the spin department.Kotian's all-around abilities make him an intriguing addition. He has taken 101 wickets at an average of 25.70 in 33 first-class matches and batted at an average of 41.21 from 47 innings. India's choices are strengthened by his ability to contribute with the ball and the bat, especially when there are no seasoned spinners available.
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