Tanush Kotian, the Mumbai all-rounder who played a pivotal role in their record-breaking 42nd Ranji Trophy victory, has been roped in by Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
Kotian, known for his crisis management skills, was acquired by the Royals at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. Despite retaining Zampa under his Rs 1.5-crore contract, the Australian opted out due to the heavy workload leading up to the T20I World Cup in June.
The 25-year-old Kotian, an off-spinner and a handy lower-order batter, had been expecting an IPL contract in 2023 after playing a vital role in Mumbai’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph. However, he was reported for a suspect bowling action.
Undeterred, Kotian fought back and became the player-of-the-tournament in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy triumph this season, scoring 502 runs and taking 29 wickets. Batting at No. 8, he scored an unbeaten 120 in the second innings and followed it up with an 89 not out in the quarterfinal and semifinal games against Baroda and Tamil Nadu respectively.
In another IPL replacement, Karnataka wicketkeeper-batter BR Sharath has been signed by Gujarat Titans as a replacement for Robin Minz, who was ruled out after getting injured in a freak motorcycle accident.
Sharath, who has played 28 T20s, 20 First-Class matches, and 43 List A games for Karnataka, has 328 T20 runs to his name. He will join GT for his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
