The Indian team is currently on Australia tour, where it is playing a five-match Test series against the host team under the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. This test series between the two teams is currently tied at 1-1. Now the fourth match of the Test series is to be played at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from 26 December (Thursday).
…Entry of this all-rounder from Mumbai
Before the Melbourne Test, big news related to the Indian team is coming out. Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian has been included in the Indian team for the remaining two Test matches of this series. 26 year old Tanush bowls off-spin with his right hand. Besides, he is also a good batsman. Tanush has replaced Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin had said goodbye to international cricket after the Gaba Test.
A new face will feature in India’s squad for the remainder of the Australia Tests 🏏#AUSWIN #WTC25https://t.co/fr77X8kOT8
— ICC (@ICC) December 23, 2024
Tanush Kotian made his first class debut in the 2018-19 Ranji season. Kotian has so far taken 101 wickets in 33 first-class matches at an average of 25.70. During this period, he took five wickets in an innings on 3 occasions. Talking about batting, he has scored 1525 runs at an average of 41.21. Kotian has scored 2 centuries and 13 half-centuries in first class cricket.
Tanush Kotian has also played 20 List-A and 33 T20 matches. In List-A matches, Kotian has 20 wickets in his name at an average of 43.60. In T20 matches, he has taken 33 wickets at an average of 20.03. Tanush Kotian has scored 90 runs in List-A matches and 87 runs in T20 matches.
In the Ranji Trophy 2023-24 season, Tanush along with Tushar Deshpande made a mega record. In the quarter-final match against Baroda, Tanush Kotian (120*) and Tushar Deshpande (123) scored centuries at number 10 and number 11 positions. For the first time in Ranji Trophy, number-10 and number-11 batsmen scored centuries.
Tanush Kotian was born and brought up in Mumbai. However, his family roots are in coastal Karnataka. Tanush Kotian’s father Karunakar and mother Mallika Kotian belong to Pangala in Udupi district. Tanush Kotian not only plays domestic cricket for Mumbai, he has also played for India’s Under 19 team. He was also a part of the team during India A’s recent tour of Australia. Tanush Kotian also played a match for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024. Tanush remained unsold in the mega auction of IPL 2025.
Indian team squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Tanush Kotian.
Australian team: Pat Cummins (captain), Travis Head (vice-captain), Steve Smith (vice-captain), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstans, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
Australian record in Melbourne
Total test matches: 116
Win: 67
Defeat: 32
Draw: 17
India-Australia h2h in Melbourne
Total test matches: 14
India won: 4
Australia won: 8
Draw: 2
Team India tour of Australia
22–25 November: 1st Test, Perth (India won by 295 runs)
6–8 December: 2nd Test, Adelaide (Australia win by 10 wickets)
14–18 December: 3rd Test, Brisbane (drawn)
26–30 December: Fourth Test, Melbourne
03-07 January: Fifth Test, Sydney
