Amid proposed changes in the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has invited applications for two new selectors. The five-member unit will welcome two new faces, replacing two senior selectors, with former Indian cricketer Pragyan Ojha most likely to join as part of a strategic change.
Agarkar’s tenure as Chairman of Selectors has been extended till June 2026 as the BCCI clarified the future plans. However, two selectors have been sacked after the announcement of the squad for the Asia Cup 2025. This bold move comes after growing debates around dropping Shreyas Iyer despite proving his form in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. However, the sources confirm that this decision is part of shifting roles and responsibilities instead of a performance review.
According to the reports, one of the replacements is SriSridharan Sharath from the South Zone. A former left-arm spinner, Pragyan Ojha, is one of the priorities. Also, another selector from the Central Zone, Subroto Banerjee, is being sacked, leaving a seat vacant. Meanwhile, there is no rule about the availability of selectors from different zones, but the BCCI has been following this tradition for a long time.
According to the BCCI policy, the tenure of a member who is part of the cricket committee can last for only five years. Sharath has one year left, and he may handle his previous role as the Chairman of the junior selection committee.
The strategic change becomes evident after the BCCI posted a notice on Friday (August 22) to welcome new applicants, resulting in a major shift in the decision-making panel. Under the Agarkar-led committee, the Indian team lifted the T20 World Cup 2024, ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and played the ODI World Cup 2023 final. While Agarkar stays as chief selector, this step creates questions about the process of performance assessment, shaping India’s roadmap for the next tournaments, indicating the BCCI’s proactiveness in improving the selection process.
