​MUMBAI: Competing neck and neck with Madhya Pradesh’s off-spinner Saransh Jain, Tanush Kotian is doing his best to stay in the race and in the radar of national selectors.On Thursday, the 28-year-old took a career-best eight for 81 in 34.3 overs in the second innings against Haryana. Having taken three for 70 in 30.5 overs in the first innings, Kotian finished with match figures of 11 for 151. His effort helped Mumbai register their third consecutive bonus-point win of the season, as they beat Haryana by 10 wickets at the MCA ground in BKC on the fourth and final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match.The match was a special one for Kotian as it was his 50th first-class appearance. He marked the occasion with his first 10-wicket haul in a match and his fourth five-wicket haul.”I have had four years of progress and improvement in my bowling. I did a lot of tours, I was also with the India team. They all guided me a lot, like I was practising with (BCCI COE spin bowing coach) Sunil Joshi sir, Jatin (Paranjape) sir and Rajesh (Sanil) sir (childhood coach and mentor). A lot of people have guided me. I am trying to use that experience in my bowling,” Kotian told reporters after the match.The off-spinner, who took three for 30 against Chandigarh in Mumbai’s opening match of the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy season, said he had worked on his line and length, added new variations and tried different angles to trouble batters.”I have improved a lot in line and length. I have brought in two-three variations which are helping me in deceiving and beating the batsman. I am trying to do that in every match and working on my accuracy as well. I have worked on different angles. Sometimes when I was bowling from over the wicket to the lefty, I was using angles and crease and it looked better as I was not allowing the batters to get set. It was helping me in creating pressure on the batsmen and doubts in their minds,” he said.Explaining what worked for him against Haryana, Kotian said he focused on bowling in the right areas and asked for specific field placements to support his plans.”I was looking to bowl in good areas and the field set-up that I needed, I was specifically asking for it and bowling accordingly. I was able to create opportunities and was in a good rhythm.”Kotian also scored his 20th first-class half-century in Mumbai’s first innings. He said he had been working on improving his batting while focusing on accuracy with the ball.”I have worked on myself. In batting, I’m trying to contribute in the lower order and improve further but in bowling, I feel that I’ve worked a lot on my accuracy. I feel that’s the key. I’m accurately bowling at the right place. I’m also talking to the ‘keeper as to how it is going and I am happy with that,” he said.Kotian was also asked whether Saransh Jain’s performances, including his 13 for 89 (7-40 & 6-49) against Bihar in the third round, had added to the competition for a place in the Indian team.”No, it’s n