India national cricket team captain Rohit Sharma has revealed why Tanush Kotian was selected in the team ahead of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. They want someone to join the team as soon as possible, he said, adding that Kuldeep and Axar are unavailable.
The India national cricket team has made a tremendous addition to the squad ahead of the fourth Test of the series against the Australia national cricket team. Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian was included in the squad for the last two matches as a replacement for Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired.
Tanush Kotian was one of the best spinners in the Indian domestic circuit
Tanush Kotian was one of the best spinners in the Indian domestic circuit. The kind of hard work he has put in and the impact he has made in Mumbai with both bat and ball has paid off, as he will join the India national cricket team ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne.
Tanush Kotian played for Australia as well and was part of the India A squad and played the matches against Australia A. Although it has not been confirmed whether he will feature in the playing XI, he is a popular replacement for Ravichandran Ashwin, who returned home after the third Test after retiring.
Tanush Kotian was the shining light for Mumbai in their title win in the recent Ranji Trophy. He was awarded Player of the Tournament for his heroics with bat and ball as he scored 502 runs at an average of 41.83 and also picked up 29 wickets at an average of 16.96.
We wanted support in case we played players in Sydney or Melbourne – Rohit Sharma over Tanush Kotian
Rohit Sharma, while talking about Tanush's selection, added that Kuldeep Yadav did not have a visa and they wanted someone to reach Down Under quickly. He stressed that the team needs a backup in case Ghazlan plays in the last two matches. Speaking to reporters, he explained:
“Tanush has been here for a month and Kuldeep doesn't have a visa. We needed someone to get here as quickly as possible. Tanush was ready and played well here. But no joke aside, he has been doing well for the last two years and we wanted support.” “A backup in case we play two teams in Sydney or Melbourne.”
Probably one of the reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last season – Rohit Sharma on Tanush Kotyan
Rohit Sharma revealed that Kuldeep Yadav was not 100% fit and Axar Patel was not available due to the birth of his child, hence Tanush was the best option for them. He praised the all-rounder for his heroics during the recent Ranji Trophy. He added:
“Kuldeep is not 100 per cent fit as he underwent hernia surgery. Axar has recently had a baby, so he was not planning to travel. Hence, Tanush was the best option for us and was probably one of the reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last season.”
In 33 matches in his first-class career, Tanush has picked 101 wickets at an average of 25.70 to take three five-wicket hauls. Not only this, he also slammed 1525 runs in 47 innings, at an average of 41.21 with two centuries and 13 fifties.
