India skipper Rohit Sharma explained why the team management made the sudden decision to add all-rounder Tanush Kotian to the squad ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
Speaking ahead of the Melbourne Test, Rohit jokingly remarked that left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav didn’t have a visa, which led to the decision to call up Kotian. However, the skipper quickly clarified that the decision was made based on Kotian’s brilliant performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket.
“Tanush was the right option for us. He has certainly shown in the domestic level what he is capable of. He is probably one of the reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last year.”
“Yeah, Tanush was here a month back. Kuldeep, I don’t think has a visa. We wanted somebody to get here as quickly as possible. Tanush was the one who was ready. That’s just a joke. He played here. He is good enough. He has shown what he has done in the last 1–2 years in domestic cricket. And we really wanted a back-up in case we need two spinners playing here or Sydney, you need a back-up option,” Rohit said during the pre-match press conference.
Rohit revealed that Kuldeep isn’t fully fit as he underwent hernia surgery. He also mentioned all-rounder Axar Patel, who wasn’t able to travel to Australia as he recently had a baby. The 37-year-old then remarked that Kotian was one of the main reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last year.
“Kuldeep, obviously, he is not 100 percent fit, he went through hernia surgery. And the other options like Axar, Axar recently had a baby, he was not going to travel. Tanush was the right option for us. He has certainly shown in the domestic level what he is capable of. He is probably one of the reasons why Mumbai won the Ranji Trophy last year. He played a major role as an all-rounder. Very good option for us, all areas are covered,” Rohit said.
With 101 wickets and 2 centuries in 33 first-class matches, Kotian is not only a reliable off-spinner, but is also a good lower-order batter, who can pile on runs and frustrate the opposition as well.
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