Reports: Tanush Kotian to join Indian team ahead of Boxing Day Test as Ravichandran Ashwin’s replace

On Tuesday, Tanush Kotian, an off-spinning all-rounder from Mumbai, is expected to travel to Australia. Prior to the fourth Test of the current Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024–25, he was reportedly called up.

The announcement follows veteran campaigner Ravichandran Ashwin’s sudden retirement. It was during the post-match press conference that Ashwin announced his decision to retire from international cricket.

The Mumbai all-rounder will go to Australia on Tuesday, December 24, according to Sportstar. For the rest of the series, Kotian is believed to be a potential contender. But that’s just conjecture, and for the time being, he’s reportedly heading to Australia as a backup.

For the past several seasons, Tanush Kotian has been without a doubt one of the top bowling all-rounders on the Indian domestic circuit.

Prior to the senior squad’s tour of Australia, he was a member of the India A team. With an average of 25.70, he has now taken 101 wickets in 33 First-Class games. His batting stats aren’t meant to be disregarded. His average is an outstanding 41.21, and he has scored 2,523 runs.

Notably, Kotian was in Ahmedabad attending the Vijay Hazare Trophy with the Mumbai team when he was allegedly called up to play in India’s red-ball setup.

Kotian, 26, has been a consistent member of Mumbai’s squad in the past. When bowling, his high-arm release and deft pace adjustments have been difficult for hitters to counter. Should the Mumbai cricketer be given the chance to make his Test debut in any or both of the remaining matches in Australia, he would like to convert his outstanding red-ball performances at home into a significant international appearance. He can score a respectable number of runs with his versatility, which speaks well of his hitting abilities.