BCCI names former India all-rounder as new chief selector of men's Indian cricket team

Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar has been appointed as chairman of senior men’s selection panel on recommendations of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced on Tuesday.

That Agarkar will become chairman of the selection committee was first reported by PTI earlier last week.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), consisting of Ms Sulakshana Naik, Mr Ashok Malhotra, and Mr Jatin Paranjape, interviewed applicants for the position of one selector in the Men’s Selection Committee. The three-member CAC has unanimously recommended Mr Ajit Agarkar for the said position,” Shah said in a media release.

“The committee further recommended Mr Agarkar for the role of Chairperson of the Men’s Selection Committee based on seniority (total number of Test matches).” Agarkar has played 191 ODIs apart from 26 Tests and 4 T20Is. He was a part of the 1999, 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup squad and also featured in the 2007 World T20 winning Indian team.

He has a Test hundred at Lord’s and played a big part in India’s Test victory in Australia, back in 2004, with a six-wicket haul in Adelaide game.

He still holds the record for the fastest half-century by an Indian batter in ODI, achieved with a 21-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in 2000. He also held the record for being the fastest to reach 50 ODI wickets for nearly a decade, accomplishing the milestone in just 23 matches.

Agarkar is expected to get a better remuneration compared to current paycheck of Rs 1 crore earmarked for the chairman of selectors. The remaining members of the committee get Rs 90 lakh each.

It is understood that BCCI wants to get done with formality of appointment as Agarkar, after taking over, will chair the selection committee meeting for the T20I squad that will play five games in the West Indies later this week.

“Agarkar is the only candidate who appeared for interview. It was a virtual one as he is currently abroad on a family break,” a BCCI source informed PTI.

According to sources, there aren’t any notable name from North Zone, who is big enough in stature to take over the coveted post.

That is the reason why BCCI will be breaking its age-old convention of appointing one selector from each of the five zones.

Agarkar’s appointment will mean that West Zone will have two selectors with Salil Ankola being the other one. The others are Subroto Banerjee from Central Zone, S Sharath from South and SS Das from East.