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As Ajit Agarkar is all set to leave, the question is who will be the next chief selector of the Indian men's national cricket team? Amid several rumoured candidates, former India opener Aakash Chopra came up with a surprising name that probably no one imagined before.
According to Aakash Chopra, former India keeper-batter Sameer Dighe could become the new selector of the Indian men's cricket team, but not the head of the panel. Chopra made this revelation during one of his YouTube videos.
Sameer Dighe emerges as a possible replacement BCCI selector
Talking on his YouTube video on October 9, Aakash Chopra, a former India cricketer-turned- cricket expert, stated that according to his close sources, Dighe has emerged as a candidate who can join the selection panel. Chopra expected to hear some heavyweight names as candidates, but according to his sources, it could be Dighe.
"Ah, he is a wicketkeeper from Mumbai. He has played six Test matches. Should I tell the name? Okay. At this point in time, what I have heard is Sameer Dighe. I keep hearing the name, Sameer Dighe. It could be him. It could not be him. If he has applied, then my suspicion, my thought, might get a little more weight, might become stronger, but I am hearing the name Sameer Deghi," Chopra mentioned in his video.
Aakash Chopra on Parthiv Patel's future
In the same video, Chopra mentioned another former Team India keeper-batter, Parthiv Patel. Parthiv Patel is also believed to be among the contenders to replace Agarkar. But, like the case of Sameer Dighe, Patel's future is also not confirmed yet. Chopra himself tried to squeeze out the truth from Patel's mouth, but that did not work. Parthiv Patel kept his mouth shut about his future.
"Parthiv Patel actually talked to me on a podcast; I also played my super selector, but did he reveal anything about his coaching? No, sorry, not coaching, captaincy, no, sorry, selector," Aakash Chopra stated.
But who is Sameer Dighe?
Sameer Dighe is a former Team India cricketer who made his national cricket team debut at the age of 31. He was in the USA when the Mumbai-born player received the call to join the national camp, shortly after the Indian team's departure to Australia in the 1999-2000 season. He was selected as a keeper-batter.
Despite making his debut at the age of 31, Dighe played 6 Tests and 23 ODIs for the Indian cricket team. In the Tests, as a keeper, he took 12 catches and accomplished a couple of stumpings. In the ODIs, he took 19 catches and made five stumpings successfully. In a game against Pakistan, Dighe got four catches.
He made some significant contributions with the bat as well. Across the formats, the keeper-batter registered one half-century. While his only half-century was in the ODIs, his highest individual score in any format was an unbeaten 94.
After retiring from professional cricket, Dighe started his career in coaching. He was appointed as the Mumbai head coach, which lived for only one season.
