IND vs WI: Sandeep Patil Backs Ajit Agarkar To Do A Good Job As India's Chief Selector

Published - 14 Jul 2023, 06:59 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:15 AM

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Ajit Agarkar’s job as India’s chief selector won’t be an easy one. The former bowler has taken charge of the selection panel at a time when Indian cricket is undergoing a transition phase. India’s squads across formats need overhauling and the onus will be on Ajit Agarkar and his fellow selectors to ensure that the ongoing transition process is a successful one.

The last time Indian cricket faced such a situation was almost a decade ago when legendary players like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, and several others were at the fag end of their illustrious careers. And the man who made sure that the transition phase went smoothly was former India allrounder and chief selector Sandeep Patil.

Patil served as the chairman of selectors from 2012 to 2016 and has backed Ajit Agarkar to do a good job. Speaking to Sportstar, the former cricketer began by explaining how he made sure that the transition was a successful one for Indian cricket.

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“You have to draw a roadmap. We respected all the seniors who were part of the team and who had to make way for the youngsters. You have to look at the new generation in terms of their form, fitness and whether they will take the team to another level which they did,” said Patil.

“We are happy we took some bold decisions which were not liked or appreciated then. But during our tenure of four years, no board member interfered. That’s how we could take a decision looking at the future of Indian cricket. We were happy about what happened in the last four or five years.

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“Same thing is happening now, and the selectors must be thinking along the same lines. Rahul (Dravid) is the coach and is very experienced. He must be thinking about it and hoping things will be ok,” he added.

Sandeep Patil on Ajit Agarkar:

Speaking about Ajit Agarkar, Patil said that the former India cricketer has ample experience as a player as well as chief selector. Agarkar had previously served as Mumbai’s chief selector. Patil also hailed Agarkar as a smart man, saying that the former India bowler has a ‘thinking brain’.

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“Ajit has played enough cricket and been the chief selector for Mumbai. He knows his job. I have seen him play, and he has a thinking brain. He has also played with Rahul, making it easier to work with than when dealing with an outsider,” he said.