Agarkar impresses CAC, lands top job

NEW DELHI: Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar has been appointed as the chairman of the senior men’s selection panel on the recommendation of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah announced on Tuesday.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), consisting of Ms Sulakshana Naik, Mr Ashok Malhotra, and Mr Jatin Paranjpe, interviewed applicants for the position of one selector in the Men’s Selection Committee. The three-member CAC has unanimously recommended Mr Ajit Agarkar for the said position,” Shah said in a media release.

“The committee further recommended Mr Agarkar for the role of Chairperson of the Men’s Selection Committee based on seniority (total number of Test matches).”

Agarkar played 191 ODIs, 26 Tests and 4 T20Is. He was a part of the 1999, 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup squads and also featured in the 2007 World T20-winning India team. He has a Test hundred at Lord’s in London and played a big part in India’s Test victory over Australia in Adelaide in 2004, when he bagged a six-wicket haul.

Agarkar is expected to get a remuneration of more than Rs 1 crore, which had been earmarked for the chairman of selectors. It is understood that the BCCI wants to immediately get done with the formality of appointment as Agarkar, after taking over, will chair the meeting, where the T20 squad for the series in the West Indies will be picked.

“Agarkar is the only candidate who appeared for interview. It was a virtual one as he is currently abroad on a family break,” said a BCCI source. Agarkar’s appointment means that West Zone will have two selectors, with Salil Ankola being the other one. The others are Subroto Banerjee from Central Zone, S Sharath from South Zone and SS Das from East Zone.