22 March,2024 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Subodh Mayure
RR’s Ravichandran Ashwin during a match v MI last year. Pic/AFP; (right) Tanush Kotian at the Wankhede Stadium recently. Pic/Atul Kamble
Mumbai's Ranji Trophy-winning team off-spinner Tanush Kotian, 25, has been rewarded for his all-round performance with a spot in the Rajasthan Royals team for this IPL. Kotian replaced RR's Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa, who has pulled out of the tournament due to personal reasons.
Kotian, who made 502 runs and claimed 29 scalps, played a crucial role in Mumbai's 42nd Ranji Trophy triumph when they outclassed Vidarbha in the summit clash recently. He now wants to tap into RR's India offie R Ashwin's mind. "It will be a big opportunity for me. Yesterday [Thursday] I played a practice match with the RR players. Though it was a match for them, it was a selection trial for me. Almost all RR players were there and were very friendly with me.
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"There are really big players in the RR dressing room like the great off-spinner R Ashwin, who has claimed 500 Test wickets. I want to pick his brains and learn the finer points of spin bowling from him. I want to see what his [Ashwin] approach will be before and during a match and also learn his strategies. I will ask him where I need to improve and will also seek more advice from him after he watches me bowl," Kotian told mid-day from Jaipur on Friday.
RR will start their IPL campaign against Lucknow Super Giants at Jaipur on Sunday.
After the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last November, Kotian attended RR's selection trials at their academy in Talegaon near Nagpur. A few days ago, he got a call to attend the trials in Jaipur.
"I performed well with both bat and ball. And then, they picked me. This is my first opportunity to play in the IPL, so I am delighted and excited. But there is no pressure as I gave the trials with confidence and will try to replicate it in the IPL too," Kotian added.
