Highlights:
- Ajit Agarkar has been appointed by BCCI to lead the selection committee.
- He will take up a post that has been vacant ever since Chetan Sharma abruptly left in February.
- Agarkar recently stepped down from his role as assistant coach for IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.
Ajit Agarkar, a former all-rounder and fast bowler for India, has been named chairman of selectors for the country’s men’s cricket team.
Candidates were interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which included Ms. Sulakshana Naik, Mr. Ashok Malhotra, and Mr. Jatin Paranjape, for one of the selector positions on the Men’s Selection Committee. Mr. Ajit Agarkar has been unanimously recommended for the position by the three-member CAC.
The former all-rounder for India participated in 26 Tests, 191 ODIs, and four T20 Internationals in addition to 110 first-class, 270 List A, and 62 T20 matches. He was a former fast bowler who competed for India’s victorious T20 World Cup team in 2007 in South Africa.
With a 21-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in 2000, Agarkar still maintains the record for the fastest half-century by an Indian batter in an ODI. For almost ten years, he also held the record for the fastest 50 ODI wickets, reaching the mark in just 23 matches.
After finishing his playing career, he was hired as the Chief Selector for the senior Mumbai team and began working with the Delhi Capitals as a coach. Agarkar and Shane Watson have, however, cut ties with DC, according to a recent tweet from DC’s account.
Salil Ankola will be one of the two selectors from the West Zone after Agarkar’s appointment. He will fill a position that has been open since Chetan Sharma’s abrupt resignation in February.
Sharma left the national selection committee after a sting operation sparked controversy. The former chief selector was shown on a tape making various revelations concerning the Indian team.
In the TV sting, Sharma made shocking claims about confidential selection processes and players using injections to hasten their return to the national team. His job as chief selector became untenable as a result of these revelations, which created a stir in Indian cricket.
Based on seniority (total number of Test matches), the committee also recommended Mr. Agarkar for the position of Chairperson of the Men’s Selection Committee.
Ajit Agarkar (Chairperson), Shiv Sundar Das, Subroto Banerjee, Salil Ankola, and Sridharan Sharath make up the men’s selection committee.
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