The BCCI announced on Tuesday, July 4, that former Indian bowler Ajit Agarkar had been named chairman of the Indian Senior Men’s Selection Committee. The Cricket Advisory Committee made up of Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape, unanimously endorsed Agarkar for the one open post on the committee after he conducted an interview for it. Since Chetan Sharma left his position as head selector in February as a result of a news channel sting operation, the position has remained vacant.
The applicant must have played a minimum of seven Tests, thirty First-Class matches, ten ODIs, and twenty First-Class matches, according to the BCCI notification requesting applications for the job, and must have retired from the sport at least five years before. Agarkar played 110 first-class matches in addition to 270 List A games, 62 T20 matches, and 26 Test matches for India. He also played 191 ODIs, 62 T20 matches, and 26 Test matches.
Agarkar still maintains the record for India’s fastest ODI half-century, which he achieved against Zimbabwe in 2000 off just 21 balls. Agarkar was the fastest to 50 ODI wickets during his playing days for India, which he did in 23 matches. Following his retirement from cricket, Agarkar has worked as the senior Mumbai team’s head selector and as a member of the coaching staff for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
The T20I team for the West Indies tour will be chosen by Agarkar as his first task; the Test and ODI teams have already been chosen by the panel chaired by interim chairman Shiv Sundar Das.