Only two days since naming India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, Ajit Agarkar has been reappointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to his position, with his contract as chairman of selectors now running until June 2026.
Reports state that the renewal of this contract, announced on Thursday, was agreed to well in advance, prior to the 2025 Indian Premier League.
According to The Indian Express, the BCCI months ago had already decided to retain Agarkar, impressed by his handling of a critical phase of transition in Indian cricket. Since taking charge in June 2023, the ex-Indian pacer has maneuvered through a phase characterized by equally significant triumphs and generational changes. With his leadership, India finally ended its prolonged wait at ICC tournaments, winning the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy in the first half of 2025, besides coming close to lifting the 2023 ODI World Cup on home ground.
Agarkar's term has also been marked by leadership changes at the strategic level. The selection panel, under his command, appointed Test captain Shubman Gill and handed over the T20I captaincy to Suryakumar Yadav. Through this period, the team has navigated the phased retirements of the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin, with Kohli and Rohit playing only in ODIs now and Ashwin retiring from all formats.
The current panel of selectors comprises SS Das, Subroto Banerjee, Ajay Ratra, and S Sharath alongside Agarkar. However, adjustments are expected during the BCCI’s annual general body meeting in September. The report notes that Sharath, who moved up from chairing the junior selection committee in January 2023, is likely to be replaced as he nears the four-year limit for selection roles set by BCCI regulations.
The board is said to be in the process of inviting new applications for the position, although no decisions have been made on the futures of Das and Banerjee. The officials are said to be happy with the current panel and might restrict the changes to a single position.
Also, the BCCI will call applications for fresh members of the senior women's and junior men's selection committees. Neetu David, the women's panel chairman, and Arati Vaidya and Mithu Mukherjee, both of whom were serving five-year terms, will finish their terms this season. The junior selection panel, which is presently made up of Thilak Naidu, Ranadeb Bose, Harvinder Singh Sodhi, Pathik Patel, and Krishen Mohan, may also be given a makeover, with plans being finalized to reshuffle the panel before a challenging international itinerary.
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