Mumbai all-rounder Tanush Kotian, who went unsold in the IPL auction earlier this year, on Friday joined Punjab Kings as net bowler midway through the ongoing season. The 26-year-old was seen bowling to PBKS batters at the nets and spending considerable time in conversation with spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi during the team's training session on the eve of their match against Kolkata Knight Riders. While Punjab Kings have Yuzvendra Chahal as their premier spin weapon, they also have good option in Harpreet Brar and Praveen Dubey -- both leg-spinners with similar styles.
To add variety to their preparation, especially with opponents like Kolkata Knight Riders fielding mystery spinners such as Sunil Narine and an in-form Varun Chakravarthy, the addition of Kotian's orthodox off-spin brings a different dimension to their net sessions.
Kotian, who played a vital role in Mumbai's Syed Mushtaq Ali triumph this season, has been a consistent performer on the domestic circuit.
Though he didn't find a buyer at the auction, his inclusion as a net bowler by Punjab Kings reflects the increasing reliance on proven domestic players to strengthen training groups as the tournament will soon enter its business end.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer's Mumbai connection is believed to have played a part in Kotian's entry into the PBKS setup. Having led KKR to the IPL title in 2024, Iyer is someone who knows the team inside out.
Kotian joined the team at their hotel on Thursday and wasted no time getting into the mix, providing PBKS batters with some challenging overs in the nets.
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