IPL 2024: Tanush Kotian replaces Adam Zampa at Rajasthan Royals; BR Sharath joins Gujarat Titans

Tanush Kotian, Mumbai's crisis man, who played a pivotal role in their historic 42nd Ranji Trophy win this season, has been brought in by Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for Australian player Adam Zampa. Kotian was secured at his base price of Rs 20 lakh, as confirmed by the IPL.

Adam Zampa, who had a notable performance last season with eight wickets from six matches for the Royals, had been retained under his Rs 1.5-crore contract. However, citing heavy workload in preparation for the T20I World Cup in June, the Australian leg-spinner withdrew from the tournament.

Kotian, known for his off-spin bowling skills and valuable contributions as a lower-order batsman, had been hopeful of securing an IPL contract in 2023 after his significant role in Mumbai's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy victory. However, his aspirations were halted when he was reported for a suspect bowling action.

Despite facing adversity, the 25-year-old Tanush Kotian exhibited remarkable resilience, emerging as the player-of-the-tournament in Mumbai's triumphant Ranji Trophy campaign this season with an impressive tally of 502 runs and 29 wickets.

Batting typically at No. 8, Kotian showcased his batting prowess with an unbeaten 120 in the second innings, followed by an unbeaten 89 against Baroda and Tamil Nadu in the quarterfinal and semifinal matches respectively.

In another IPL development, the Karnataka wicketkeeper-batsman BR Sharath has been enlisted as a replacement for Robin Minz at Gujarat Titans. Minz, hailing from Jharkhand, had to withdraw from the tournament following an unfortunate motorcycle accident.

Sharath, a stalwart representing Karnataka in domestic cricket, boasts experience from 28 T20 matches, 20 First-Class appearances, and 43 List A games, accumulating 328 T20 runs. He will join Gujarat Titans at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.