Mumbai’s Tanush Kotian grinds on after putting behind ‘reported action’ drama and IPL snub

After being reported during a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Uttarakhand, a technical error during his biomechanics testing has resulted in him being neither cleared nor barred from bowling.

Mumbai bowler Tanush Kotian, who took 5 wickets, in action during the Ranji Trophy cricket match between Hyderabad and Mumbai at MCA Ground in BKC. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/ The Hindu

Having starred in Mumbai’s triumphant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign in 2022-23 with an all-round performance, Tanush Kotian was expecting the paddle to be raised in the IPL Auction ahead of the 2023 edition.

Instead, he was taken aback after it was informed to the franchises that his off-spin action has been found to be dubious. Since then, the franchises have stayed away from touching the lanky off-spinner-batter.

But that hasn’t deterred him from continuing to toil across formats. Kotian bailed Mumbai out of trouble yet again with a solid fifty against Andhra – his second consecutive half-century in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season.

The 25-year-old stressed he has managed to leave the ‘reported action’ saga behind him. “I have interacted with many coaches and seniors and all of them have told me there’s absolutely nothing wrong with my action,” Kotian said after the second day’s play against Andhra at the Sharad Pawar Cricket Academy.

“I have made absolutely no change to my action. I did feel for a while that the incident has pulled me back a step or two. It happens. Sometimes you go through a rough patch but if you keep working hard and keep performing, I am sure you are rewarded at some point.”

Kotian claimed that he has not seen a clip of a particular delivery for which he was reported by the match referee during Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy game against Uttarakhand. A technical error during his biomechanics testing at the facility in Chennai has resulted in him being neither cleared nor barred from bowling.

“I have bowled in every single match I have played since then,” he said.

Over the last three seasons, Kotian has been Mumbai’s Man Friday on numerous occasions, especially with the bat at No. 8. But he stressed that he is “primarily an off-spinner” who takes his batting “very seriously”.

An IPL contract notwithstanding, Mumbai will be hoping for him to continue to deliver in both the departments to end its eight-year title drought in the Ranji Trophy.