Former India cricketers Parthiv Patel and Pragyan Ojha have emerged as leading candidates to replace Ajit Agarkar as the chief selector of the men’s cricket team. According to an NDTV report, Ajit Agarkar's current contract is set to expire this month, with the BCCI unlikely to extend his tenure.
The Ajit Agarkar-led panel finalized the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup and India’s squad for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies on Wednesday. The BCCI is expected to name his successor in October, with the new chief selector set to oversee selections for the upcoming series against New Zealand.
Reports of Differences Between Ajit Agarkar and BCCI Over Rohit Sharma
Ajit Agarkar’s future has come under scrutiny amid reports of differences with the BCCI over Rohit Sharma’s place in India’s ODI plans. The former India captain faced pressure after low scores in the first two matches of the three-game ODI series against England.
According to reports, the selectors had indicated that Rohit Sharma was not part of their plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, he responded with a brilliant 138 in the series decider at Lord’s, although India lost the series 2-1.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia subsequently rejected reports about Rohit’s international future and said the veteran batter could continue playing as long as he remained part of the selectors’ plans.
Reports later suggested that Ajit Agarkar was unhappy with Saikia’s public comments, leading to differences between the selection committee and the board. With the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for Friday, Agarkar is unlikely to receive an extension despite being eligible for another year.
Parthiv Patel and Pragyan Ojha Emerge as Leading Candidates
According to NDTV, the BCCI is considering Parthiv Patel and Pragyan Ojha for the chief selector’s position. Ojha is already part of the senior selection committee as the East Zone representative, while Parthiv is associated with Gujarat Titans in the IPL.
Both have also worked closely with Rohit Sharma during their time with the Mumbai Indians.
Parthiv played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and two T20Is for India, scoring 934 Test runs and 736 in ODIs. He also played 139 IPL matches and scored 2,848 runs, including 13 fifties.
Ojha represented India in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and six T20Is. He took 113 Test wickets and 21 ODI wickets during his international career. Both Parthiv and Ojha are three-time IPL winners.
Rohit Sharma Selected for West Indies ODI Series
The Agarkar-led selection committee picked Rohit and Virat Kohli for India’s upcoming three-match ODI series against the West Indies. The series begins on September 27, with the veteran duo set to continue their ODI careers despite earlier uncertainty over their futures.
Rohit’s brilliant 138 in the England series decider strengthened his case to remain in India’s ODI setup. The right-handed batter had faced questions after his low scores in the opening two games but produced a commanding innings at Lord’s.
The West Indies series will give Rohit another opportunity to build on that performance. The BCCI’s new chief selector will then take charge ahead of India’s upcoming Test, ODI and T20I series against New Zealand.
