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Follow UsRavichandran Ashwin's sudden retirement from international cricket has certainly left a void in the Indian team, especially the Test side. While it will not be easy to replace someone of his stature - 537 wickets in 106 Tests - they must start somewhere.
India have wasted no time in looking to the future, with the inclusion of Tanush Kotian for the remainder of the Test series against Australia. Like Ashwin, Kotian is also an off-spinner who is a reliable lower-order right-handed batter.
Over the last couple of years, the 26-year-old has impressed with excellent performances for Mumbai in the domestic circuit and has rightly graduated to the senior side.
Let's look at his recent achievements that have catapulted him to the Indian side.
Debut season
Kotian made his debut in the 2018-19 season of the Ranji Trophy against Saurashtra. In his first season, he managed to get just two games, where he picked up three wickets and scored just 19 runs in four innings. He did not play a single game for Mumbai over the next two seasons, given the stiff competition in the Mumbai circuit.
The return
He returned to the Mumbai side in 2021-22 — once again against Saurashtra in Ahmedabad and slammed an unbeaten fifty off 81 deliveries, picking up three wickets. He bettered that with a 98 in the next game against Goa at the same venue and bowled Mumbai to a victory with three wickets in the second innings.
Overall, Kotian showed off his all-round prowess in the season with 262 runs at 37.42 with the ball, and he was Mumbai's second-highest wicket-taker with 18 scalps at 27.61 as Mumbai lost the final to Madhya Pradesh in Bengaluru.
The breakout season
In the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 semi-final against Tamil Nadu, Mumbai seemed to be down and out at 106/7 after the opposition had scored 146. Luckily for Mumbai, Hardik Tamore and Shardul Thakur put on 105 to resurrect the innings.
Just when TN thought the Mumbai resistance was over, Kotian walked in at 10. He supported Shardul well, and when he was set, he played some excellent strokes to finish unbeaten on 89 off 126, ensuring Mumbai took a 232-run lead.
He finished the match with figures of 4/28 in 10.1 overs to help Mumbai to another Ranji Trophy final. Earlier in the season, Kotian had also scored his maiden first-class hundred - against Baroda in the quarter-final - finishing the season with 502 runs at 41.83. Moreover, he picked up 16 wickets at 16.96 as Mumbai won their 42nd Ranji title.
The consistency continues
Kotian's trophy cabinet grew as he scored a fifty and picked up 10 wickets in the Duleep Trophy for India A. Things only got better for Kotian from here as he would go on to play a starring role in the Irani Cup against Rest of India in Lucknow. While Sarfaraz Khan hogged the limelight with a well-compiled 222, Kotian scored 64 in a 183-run seventh wicket stand to go with his three wickets.
The best was yet to come as Kotian slammed an unbeaten 114 in the second innings, including a 158-run stand for the ninth wicket with Mohit Avasthi from a precarious position to lead Mumbai to the Irani Cup title.
In a matter of a few months, Kotian has completed his red-ball set, winning all three domestic red-ball competitions.
India A calling
Kotian has started the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season on a good note, with a fifer. His consistent performances across the last couple of seasons culminated in his call-up to the India A side for the tour of Australia last month.
He just picked up a wicket but scored a valiant 44 in the second innings to give India A a chance at MCG, and incidentally, that's where he will join the senior side ahead of the fourth Border-Gavaskar Test.
If a senior debut does come along for Kotian on this tour, it will be nothing less than what he deserves.
