How Tanush Kotian Is Slowly Becoming India’s Next Ravichandran Ashwin?

Tanush Kotian has shown sparks of brilliance throughout his recent performances with the bat and ball. Many cricket fans regard the young Mumbai all-rounder as a natural replacement to the aging Ravichandran Ashwin.

It is evident fans can see similar characteristics of Ashwin’s play in Kotian whenever the youngster is in cricket action. Let’s see some reasons why Kotian will be an ideal replacement for R Ashwin when the senior cricketer retires.

How Tanush Kotian is Slowly Becoming Ravichandran Ashwin’s Best Replacement

Vast skillset

Many cricketers will stick to one part of their game, and prefer to be bowlers or batters while neglecting their other abilities. Ravichandran Ashwin has made a reputation in his long cricket career as a versatile player with the bat and ball. You could see Ashwin getting a five-for this week and a century in his next match. The same traits are evident in 25-year-old Tanush Kotian.

Kotian represents Mumbai in domestic cricket and already has a reputation for being a versatile all-rounder. He can hit runs when called upon while managing to take wickets as a reliable bowler. Getting a fitting replacement for Ashwin in Kotian looks more likely as the latter’s performance profile keeps rising.

Superb wicket-taking skills

Ashwin is currently Team India’s top wicket-taker and features as a senior member of the Test squad. He has taken more wickets than many cricket legends combined and looks set to bow out with a legacy in this position.

Kotian has also shown impressive wicket-taking abilities in recent games and bags scalps with ease to ensure victory for his teams. His wicket-taking skills were on full display for India A where he bagged 10 scalps in 3 games against opposing teams.

Ability to perform under pressure

Ashwin has been a talismanic figure for Team India since making his debut several years ago. The senior all-rounder has several impressive records to back his appearances across formats for India and franchises he has featured for. Teams usually rely on Ashwin’s pacing abilities or batting prowess in tight encounters to snatch victory.

Kotian’s abilities to deliver under intense pressure have been evident in his recent First-Class cricket performances. The talented youngster has bagged crucial runs or wickets in high-stakes games to secure victory for his side. Such similarities to Ashwin’s make Kotian an ideal replacement when the former decides to retire from international duties.

How Does Tanush Kotian’s Batting and Bowling Compare to Ravichandran Ashwin’s?

Kotian has had several impressive outings with the bat since his ascension to fame as a reliable bowler and batsman. The talented cricketer says he enjoys batting and practices to become a natural deliverer of half-centuries in crucial ties:

“I mainly focus on bowling, but I enjoy batting as well. During practice, I try to play my shots. I bat against side-armers as well. I have built the confidence that down the order, I can make those important contributions. Crucial fifties help the team to cross 300-400,” Kotian said while responding to questions during recent interviews:

Ashwin also made similar comments when asked about his performances with the bat and ball throughout his career:

“I make a living by bowling, so bowling comes first. Batting is something that comes naturally but I have focused my thoughts with batting over the last few years,” Ashwin said during a recent post-match press conference.

Tanush Kotian’s Performance in the Last 10 Matches

Kotian has been on fire in his last 10 matches, bagging 40 wickets since late February 2024 as a pacer. The skilled cricketer has also blasted 590 runs for his domestic and national team within that time. Kotian has conceded 716 runs (17.9 runs conceded per wicket taken) within the same period.

How Has Kotian Performed in the IPL So Far?

Tanush Kotian bagged 24 runs for the Rajasthan Royals in his most recent appearance at the IPL so far. The talented all-rounder secured the two-dozen runs under heavy pacing attacks from opposing bowlers. Fans will expect Kotian to build a strong IPL legacy in future seasons with his balanced, composed approach to games.