Harbhajan Singh to Mentor Mumbai Spinners at BCCI Centre of Excellence Spin Camp
Harbhajan Singh to Mentor Mumbai Spinners at BCCI Centre of Excellence Spin Camp
Mumbai's promising off-spinners Tanush Kotian and Himanshu Singh are set to receive expert guidance from cricket legend Harbhajan Singh at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The specialized four-day camp for spinners is scheduled from March 23 to 26, providing a platform for young talents to hone their skills under the mentorship of one of India's greatest off-spinners.
This initiative follows a recent five-day camp led by former India pacer Zaheer Khan for emerging fast bowlers. Both Harbhajan and Zaheer were reportedly approached by VVS Laxman, the Head of Cricket at the CoE and a former teammate, to conduct these sessions. The camps aim to nurture bowlers who are on the cusp of representing the national team or have already featured in a few matches.
Tanush Kotian, a 27-year-old from Vikhroli, has been a standout performer in domestic cricket. A regular in the India A side, he earned his maiden India call-up in December 2024 for the final two Tests of the Australia tour following Ravichandran Ashwin's retirement, though he did not get a game. In first-class cricket, Kotian has claimed 131 wickets in 44 matches at an average of 27.48 and amassed 2,168 runs at 42.50, including two centuries and 17 half-centuries.
His all-round prowess shone in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, where he took 29 wickets in 10 matches at 16.96 and scored 502 runs at 41.83, including a century and five half-centuries. Kotian was named Player of the Tournament, playing a pivotal role in Mumbai's 42nd Ranji title win—the only player to achieve 25 wickets and over 500 runs in that edition.
Himanshu Singh complements Kotian's talent with 42 wickets in 15 first-class matches at an average of 32.78. Neither Kotian nor Himanshu is part of any IPL team for the 2026 season. Joining them at the camp will be Goa's off-spinner Mohit Redkar.
Expressing his excitement, Kotian said, “I’ve always been a Harbhajan Singh fan. I’ve followed his bowling for a long time. He took plenty of wickets against an all-time great Australian team. I still remember the way he dismissed Unmukt Chand in the 2013 IPL with a well-flighted delivery, with Ricky Ponting taking a stunning, diving catch at covers. I’m looking at learning from him how to bowl the straighter one and the ‘doosra’, as he had mastered both the deliveries.”
The duo will report to the camp on March 20, with fitness tests planned for the initial days before the main sessions commence on March 23. Harbhajan Singh, who retired with an illustrious record of 417 wickets in 103 Tests at an average of 32.46, brings invaluable experience to the young bowlers aspiring to follow in his footsteps.