Recently, India national cricket team chief selector Ajit Agarkar had his contract renewed for another year. The move was reportedly taken keeping in mind the need for continuity for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The move has sparked controversy as, despite the team’s success, Agarkar and his actions as chief selector remain a point of controversy among fans.
There was also speculation on whether Ajit Agarkar was eligible for this renewal or not, but BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla has now cleared it.
“These calls have been taken keeping in mind the larger interests of Indian cricket”: Shukla
Shukla was speaking to TOI and said that the board management has taken such decisions keeping Indian cricket in mind.
Shukla said, “Such decisions rest with the BCCI management. This is a collective decision taken at the appropriate time keeping in mind the larger interests of Indian cricket. The board will consider it when the time comes.”
However, for now, Ajit Agarkar has renewed his contract, keeping him at the top job for another year.
A senior BCCI source said, “Agarkar had not sought an extension. A selector can be in the junior or senior selection committee for four years and in both the committees cumulatively for five years. Therefore, Ajit’s contract is being renewed and not being extended.”
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Ajit Agarkar became the chief selector
Agarkar took over as chief selector in July 2023. Under his tenure, India finished runners-up in the ODI World Cup on home soil that year. However, since then, the ‘Men in Blue’ have won the T20 World Cup twice (2024 and 2026) and the Champions Trophy (2025).
India has also managed to win the Asia Cup twice – in 2023 in the ODI format and in 2025 in the T20 format.
Despite success in limited overs cricket, the Test team has seen some struggles since Agarkar took over the captaincy. In 2024, India lost a home Test series after 12 years when New Zealand whitewashed it 3–0. Subsequently, India lost the Test series in Australia and lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which it had reclaimed 7 years ago.
India also lost a Test series to South Africa at home in 2025, losing both the Tests of that series. In 2025–26, India also lost an away ODI series in Australia and a home ODI series against New Zealand.
However, in the boardroom, Ajit Agarkar is known for taking tough decisions one after the other. In 2024, the selection committee led by Rohit Sharma appointed Suryakumar Yadav as India’s full-time T20I captain after his retirement from the format. He rejected expectations that this role would go to Hardik Pandya.
Agarkar also oversaw the retirement of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from Test cricket in 2025, and in May 2025, he appointed Shubman Gill as the captain of the Test team. In October 2025, despite Rohit’s tremendous success as captain in ODIs, Agarkar and the selection committee handed over the captaincy of that team to Shubman Gill.
Gill was named the vice-captain of the Indian T20I team, but both he and Shreyas Iyer were overlooked for selection for the T20 World Cup in 2026, with Ishan Kishan given preference.
As chief selector, Ajit Agarkar was criticized for not attending domestic cricket matches and instead traveling with the Indian team to overseas locations such as Australia and Dubai.
Team India’s next match
After the renewal of his contract, Ajit Agarkar’s next task as chief selector will be to select the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in June.
After this, India will begin the white-ball tour of England in July.
