So, by the look of things, India chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s stint has come to an end. There are credible media reports doing the rounds that the former India pacer recently wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he doesn’t intend to continue beyond early next month when his tenure ends. The reasons behind have invited loads of speculations, but here we are not getting into that. We are just looking at what he has done as India chief selector since July 2023.
There is no doubt that Agarkar was a massive improvement on previous chief selector Chetan Sharma whose tenure was quite controversial. Yes, fans still remember that sting operation in which he made some shocking claims. Anyway, Agarkar was futuristic right from the outset. When he was appointed to the role, the biggest challenge he faced was a lack of ICC white-ball trophies for the Indian team. Since 2013, India had not won ICC tournaments. He took the challenge seriously and, within a year, the Indian team ended the 11-year drought when they won the 2024 T20 World Cup in the US and the West Indies. Actually, if not for a poor batting show in the 2023 World Cup final, India would have broken the jinx several months before. Then in 2025, India picked up another ICC trophy, the Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE. Earlier this year in March, the team won its third ICC trophy under him when it successfully defended its T20 World Cup title at home, beating New Zealand in a one-sided final at Ahmedabad.
Agarkar’s modus operandi was clear. Don’t prep months before an important event. Rather plan from one event to another. In 2024, after India won the T20 World Cup and Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format, Suryakumar Yadav was chosen for captaincy with the 2026 edition in mind. The captain has to be the constant and build the team around him. And he expected his captains to contribute with the bat too. When Suryakumar had a long lean patch, and the X factor had gone out of his batting, he brought in Shreyas Iyer, who had not played T20Is for India for years. It’s not easy to drop a World Cup-winning captain, but Agarkar kept his emotions in check and opted for a captain who was also likely to do well as a batsman till the next event. So, he took this bold call. Iyer till the 2028 Olympics as well as the T20 World Cup in the same year. Agarkar backed his captains big time.
Also Read: Ajit Agarkar wants to step down as chief selector, writes to BCCI
To be a chief selector or any selector, it can’t be an easy job. There are people calling you at all times with their recommendations, from your own association and from other associations. Agarkar was fair to all intents and purposes. However, he couldn’t deliver with one major move of his. His heart was in the right place; it’s just that Shubman Gill couldn’t live up to expectations. After the Test and ODI captaincy was transferred from Rohit to Shubman, Agarkar took a chance, hoping the right-handed batsman could succeed in T20Is too and eventually be captain across all formats. To fit in Shubman at the top of the order, Sanju Samson was compromised. But once Shubman failed in multiple matches and Agarkar realised his mistake, he was quick to fix it. The Punjab batsman was dropped ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Ishan Kishan was also brought back after a strong performance in domestic cricket. Agarkar refused to give Mohammed Shami another chance, for he was convinced that the fast bowler wasn’t fit as per the international requirements anymore. He saw with clarity.
Everything out in the open
Agarkar spoke well, and there was no clandestine approach. He often addressed the media and took the questions, and answered in the manner they should be answered. He explained why he made this or that call. He also insisted that whenever players are not on national duty, they should pounce on every opportunity to play in domestic cricket. The rule applied to everyone, even to Rohit and Virat Kohli. Yes, it’s true it was also under him that the Indian team suffered home Test whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa. And also against minnows Ireland in T20Is in June earlier this year. But they were not his fault. It’s just that the players couldn’t perform as expected. He took action, required post the defeats. After the 3-1 Test drubbing in Australia in 2023-24, Agarkar was heavily behind the Test retirements of Virat and Rohit.
When all is said and done, Agarkar indeed served Indian cricket with distinction. He came to win the ICC trophies, and he won three of them. There were controversies now and then in relation to certain decisions of his, but he dealt with them with dignity. And lastly, he was fair, which is not easy in such a high-stakes role.
As a cricketer, he was quite good. Bowled with very good pace. Won the Adelaide Test for India in 2003 with a six-for in the second innings. To date, he is the fastest Indian to 50 ODI wickets. He also holds the record for the fastest ODI fifty for India, off just 21 balls. At Lord’s, he scored a ton batting at No.8.
He did well as a cricketer, but as a chief selector, he really upped the ante, make no mistake.
