Ajit Agarkar became the Chief Selector of Team India, BCCI announced; Know – when will you select for the first time

Team India’s former fast bowler Ajit Agarkar has become the new Chief Selector of Team India. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced this on Tuesday. The decision to make Agarkar the chief selector was taken by the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjpe. The post of chief selector was lying vacant after Chetan Sharma resigned in February following a sting operation by a news channel.

Other members in the selection panel include Shiv Sundar Das, Subroto Banerjee, Salil Ankola, Sreedharan Sharath. Having played 26 Tests and 191 ODIs, Agarkar is the most senior member of the panel. In such a situation, he will be the chairman of the BCCI rules committee. Under his leadership, the first team will be selected for the five T20 matches against the West Indies starting on 3 August. Prior to this, Agarkar was part of the coaching staff of Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Two selectors from West Zone in selection panel

This will be the second time that Agarkar will be serving as the chief selector. He was the chief selector of Mumbai between 2017-19. After Agarkar’s appointment, the selection panel will have two selectors from West Zone. Salil Ankola also comes from the West Zone. In the BCCI constitution, prepared as per the recommendations of the RM Lodha-Committee, there is no mention of the appointment of selectors on a regional basis. Former Indian player can become a selector after 5 years of retirement from cricket. He must have played at least 7 Tests or 30 first-class matches or 10 ODIs and 20 first-class matches.

Cricket career of Ajit Agarkar

Agarkar was the fastest to 50 ODI wickets while playing for India. He took 23 matches for this. He still holds the record for the fastest fifty in ODIs for India. In 2000, he hit Fifty in 21 balls against Zimbabwe. He was also a part of the 2007 T20 World Cup champion team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Was a part of the Indian team in 1999, 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups

Apart from this, Agarkar had scored a Test century at Lord’s and played a key role in India’s Test victory in Australia in 2004 by taking six wickets in the match played in Adelaide. Agarkar has played 191 ODIs apart from 26 Tests and four T20 Internationals. He was part of the Indian team in the 1999, 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cups.