Agarkar Has Not Asked BCCI For Extension; Future As Chief Selector To Be Decided After September Contract Ends
Ajit Agarkar’s stint as India’s chief selector will run its natural course before any decision is taken on his future. The chairman of selectors, whose contract expires in September 2026, has not approached the Board of Control for Cricket in India seeking an extension through the 2027 ODI World Cup, a senior BCCI official confirmed to PTI.
The clarification comes after word spread that Agarkar had himself lobbied the board for a continued role beyond September. A senior board official flatly denied this, telling PTI on the condition of anonymity that no such conversation has taken place and that any discussion will only begin once his tenure formally ends.
“The selection panel is a sub-committee of the BCCI and the selectors’ contract runs till September this year,” the official said. “Ajit’s contract ends in September and after that BCCI secretary and Ajit will have to decide whether he would continue till next year’s ODI World Cup. A senior selector can continue up to four years as per the constitution, and he doesn’t need to seek an extension.”
Agarkar took charge of the senior men’s selection committee in 2023. His contract was extended by one year in 2025 after India won both the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Champions Trophy.
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On the numbers, his record in white-ball cricket speaks clearly. Under his watch, India have claimed three ICC white-ball titles. In Tests, though, the picture is messier India lost back-to-back home series against New Zealand and South Africa, a run of results that drew sharp criticism of the selection process.
He has also had to make some uncomfortable calls since taking over, most notably managing the transition in Test cricket after Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin retired in quick succession.
Gambhir backs Agarkar
After India’s T20 World Cup win earlier this month, head coach Gautam Gambhir defended Agarkar publicly. “Ajit Agarkar takes a lot of flak, but the honesty with which he has worked has been incredible,” Gambhir told reporters at the post-match press conference.
The selection panel’s choices for the tournament also drew attention. The committee dropped Shubman Gill from the World Cup squad, citing a dip in form across recent series, and recalled Ishan Kishan after a long absence from the national setup.