According to reports, Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the All India Men’s Senior Selection Committee, has had his contract renewed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This one-year extension of his initial two-year contract comes after the board seemed to be pleased with Ajit Agarkar performance in selecting the Indian men’s team across formats over the past two years, even if the team has often had unfavourable results.
For those who are unaware, Ajit Agarkar assumed the role of head selector in July 2023 and has since chosen teams for important competitions such as the Champions Trophy, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the ODI Asia Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the T20 World Cup. His most recent task was to reveal India’s formidable 15-man roster, captained by Suryakumar Yadav, for the forthcoming T20 Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday.
Cricket commentators and supporters have criticised Agarkar for leaving out individuals they believed should have been included in the squad. Ultimately, though, the BCCI will consider the outcome, and India’s results in the continental tournament will determine if Agarkar and his selection panel made the correct choices in selecting and benching the aforementioned players.
According to a report in the Indian Express, S Sharath, Shiv Sunder Das, Ajay Ratra, and Subroto Banerjee are now on the Agarkar-led selection panel. Sharath is expected to resign from his position, but the other members would likely be kept on.
“The Indian squad had transitioned (from Tests to T20) and won trophies throughout his tenure. According to the same article, a BCCI insider stated, “He accepted the offer a few months ago when the BCCI extended his contract until June 2026.”
What will happen to Ajit Agarkar next?
Now that the tenure has been extended till June 2026, Ajit Agarkar will have to select the Indian side for a number of significant series and competitions. The Mumbai native’s biggest challenge will be selecting the team for the 2026 T20 World Cup, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka. He will also play a crucial role in determining the future of the elite Indian team of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in ODIs.
Under Ajit Agarkar leadership, India will play 18 extra Twenty20 Internationals, excluding the World Cup matches. In addition, they will play nine One-Day Internationals: six at home against South Africa and New Zealand and three against Australia in Australia. Additionally, beginning on October 02, 2025, India will host the Proteas and the West Indies for a few Test matches apiece.