Kuldeep Yadav Doesn’t Have a Visa and Axar…: Rohit Sharma Explains Why Tanush Kotian Was Picked as Ashwin’s Replacement
India’s captain Rohit Sharma recently revealed the reasoning behind selecting Mumbai’s off-spin bowling all-rounder Tanush Kotian as a replacement for Ravichandran Ashwin in the squad for the fourth and fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Tests. Ashwin, who retired from international cricket after the third Test in Brisbane, left India with a gap in their spin department.
Despite having options like Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, the selectors opted for Kotian. Rohit jokingly mentioned that Kuldeep’s absence of a visa played a role in the decision but also praised Kotian’s consistent performances over the last two years.
“Tanush was here a month back and Kuldeep doesn’t have a visa. We needed someone to get here as quickly as possible. Tanush was ready and played well here,” said Rohit. On a more serious note, he highlighted Kotian’s recent success and his readiness for the role. Kotian, who had been part of the ‘A’ tour in Australia, had made a solid impression, scoring 44 runs and picking up a wicket in his lone appearance.
In his first-class career, the 26-year-old has played 33 matches, taking 101 wickets at an average of 25.70 and scoring 1525 runs at an average of 41.21, with two centuries and 13 fifties to his name.
Rohit also explained why Kuldeep and Axar were unavailable for the role. Kuldeep had recently undergone hernia surgery, while Axar, who became a father recently, was unavailable for selection.
“Kuldeep is not 100% fit after his hernia surgery, and Axar recently had a baby, so he wasn’t going to travel. Hence, Tanush was the best option for us, and he was probably one of the reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last season,” Rohit added.
Kotian’s selection reflects India’s strategy to have reliable back-ups in case they need two spinners for the upcoming Tests in Melbourne or Sydney.