Who Is Ashwin Relacement Tanush Kotian: Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian has been added to India’s squad for the rest of the BGT 2024-25 series as a replacement for the retired senior off-spinner R Ashwin.
Ashwin hung up his boots from international cricket at the end of the Gabba Test, having played in one out of the three Tests of the series so far.
It’s interesting that while Ashwin retired, the selectors have decided to send a young uncapped off-spinning all-rounder for the remainder of the series, although there is no word from the team management in Australia about asking for Ashwin’s replacement, considering India already have Washington Sundar in the squad.
Kotian is reportedly scheduled to fly to Australia on Tuesday. So he is unlikely to be considered for selection for the fourth Test at the MCG, which starts on Thursday. Nonetheless, India wouldn’t need a second spinner in the side—with Ravindra Jadeja securing his place after a terrific fifty in Brisbane that helped India save the Test matches—and Kotian is unlikely to be picked ahead of Sundar for the SCG Test either.
Nonetheless, this opportunity would present Kotian the chance to be part of the Indian dressing room, something that he would get more of in the future in home Tests. ESPNcricinfo has reported that Axar Patel was unavailable for selection.
Ashwin Relacement Tanush Kotian first-class and domestic stats and records:
Mumbai off-spinning all-rounder Tanush Kotian has played 33 first-class matches in which he’s taken 101 wickets at an average of 25.7, with three five-wicket hauls. He’s done well with the bat as well, scoring 1525 runs at an average of 41 with two centuries and 13 half-centuries. He’s remained not out in 10 of his 47 first-class innings.
Ahead of the BGT 2024-25, Kotian was in Australia, competing for India A against Australia A. He played one match, scored 44 runs, and snared one wicket.
Kotian’s rise was observed in the previous Ranji Trophy season, where his all-round performances helped Mumbai win yet another Ranji title. In the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, Tanush Kotian picked up 29 wickets at an average of 16, scored 502 runs at an average of 41, and duly bagged the Player of the Tournament award. Last season, he was the only player to score over 500 runs and claim over 25 wickets.
In the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, Kotian has played two games—he missed other matches as he was in Australia—in which he snapped 12 wickets at an average of 16.
In the Irani Cup against the Rest of India in October, Kotian recorded scores of 64 and 114* while batting at No. 8 and took three wickets in his only bowling outing.
India squad for 4th and 5th Tests vs Australia:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Tanush Kotian
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