New Delhi, Oct 7 (IANS) India head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday paid a glowing tribute to outgoing chief selector Ajit Agarkar, adding that history will be kinder to him for the silverware the senior men’s team won in his tenure.
Agarkar’s tenure as chairman of the senior men’s selection committee officially ended on Tuesday after the BCCI formally invited applications to fill the vacant slot in the five-member panel.
“Dear Ajit Bhai, an absolute honour to work with you. Those 3 ICC trophies are testimony of your conviction: Team first & Team ahead, always.. I must say, History will be kinder to you. Thank you for everything. My heartfelt wishes for your future endeavours !!” Gambhir wrote on his ‘X’ account.
Having assumed charge in July 2023, Agarkar oversaw a golden era that saw India reach the 2023 ODI World Cup final before clinching the 2024 T20 World Cup, 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2026 T20 World Cup. His final assignment was selecting the white-ball squads for the ongoing white-ball series against the West Indies.
For now, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha has taken charge as acting chairman and presided over the squad selection for the five T20Is against New Zealand and three India A games. The existing panel comprises of Ojha, Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra, and RP Singh.
The BCCI protocol dictates that the selector with the most Test caps assumes the chairmanship. Ojha, who featured in 24 Tests for India, currently holds seniority within the panel. According to the BCCI, the candidate who will replace Agarkar from the West Zone will participate in long-term squad planning, talent identification, domestic match monitoring, and strategy meetings.
Applicants must have played a minimum of seven Tests, 30 first-class matches, or 10 ODIs along with 20 first-class games, besides having retired at least five years ago, with the deadline to submit applications falling on October 14.
Agarkar’s departure follows months of intense speculation around his future, especially around Rohit Sharma fitting in the scheme of things for the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup, something which was emphatically quashed by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia. His absence from the review meeting held last month in Mumbai was the first clear indicator that Agarkar’s tenure would not be renewed.
–IANS
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