At the pre-match press conference, Rohit Sharma highlighted that Tanush Kotian's prior experience in Australia, having been part of the India A tour in November, played a key role in his selection. Sharma explained that while Kuldeep Yadav was dealing with visa issues and wasn't fully fit, and Axar Patel had recently become a father, Kotian was chosen over both due to these circumstances.

“Tanush Kotian played here in Australia a month back. Kuldeep, I don’t think he has a visa, and he is not 100% fit. Axar has a baby recently. Tanush is ready, we really want a backup in case we need two spinners here or in Sydney. Tanush has shown what he’s capable of,” Rohit Sharma said.

The 26-year-old has garnered attention with his outstanding performances in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season. In addition to claiming 29 wickets at an impressive average of 16.96 from 10 matches, Kotian also contributed significantly with the bat, amassing over 500 runs during Mumbai’s title-winning campaign.