Ajit Agarkar not seeking extension as chief selector

India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar has decided not to seek an extension when his current contract ends on October 4, paving the way for the BCCI to begin the search for his successor.

Agarkar’s future was a key talking point at the BCCI’s 95th Annual General Meeting, where member units authorised the office-bearers to take decisions regarding the selection committees.

“The office bearers have been authorised to take decisions on the matters concerning the selection committees,” a senior BCCI official said after the meeting, without elaborating on Agarkar’s future.

Agarkar has served as chairman of the senior men’s selection committee, with his tenure set to end on October 4.

The AGM was attended by representatives of the BCCI’s affiliated state associations, including former India captain Sourav Ganguly of the Cricket Association of Bengal and former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

Besides the senior selection committee, the BCCI is also in the process of appointing all five members of the junior selection committee.

Large number of applications

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board has received a large number of applications and expects to complete the selection process within the next 10 to 15 days.

“We have received a very large number of applicants and once the shortlisting is completed, then we will give it to our cricket committee,” Saikia said.

“They will be the competent authority to select for the junior selection committee, so that process is going on, and we are trying to complete it within the next 10-15 days because all the five current selectors, their tenure is going to be over very soon,” he added.

Saikia also said current India fielding coach Subhadeep Ghosh has been appointed on a short-term basis, with his future to be decided after an assessment of his performance.

“Regarding the fielding coach of the Indian team, we have appointed him for a short time, who is also a part of our COE as a fielding coach in Bangalore,” Saikia told reporters after the AGM.

“We will be assessing his performance and as per the opinion given by the concerned persons in the team management, we will take a decision to continue his engagement as a fielding coach of the Indian team. That final decision is yet to be taken,” he added.