Ajit Agarkar is no longer India’s chief selector. His term ended on October 4, 2026. He did not ask for an extension, even though he could have stayed one more year. The BCCI has now invited applications for his replacement.
Pragyan Ojha is serving as interim chief selector. He led the meeting to pick India’s squad for the New Zealand tour.
Agarkar took charge in July 2023. His time in the role was very successful. India reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup. They won the 2024 T20 World Cup. They won the 2025 Champions Trophy. They also won the 2026 T20 World Cup. Under his watch, India also won two Asia Cup titles and back-to-back Asian Games gold medals.
The BCCI praised Agarkar on social media. The board thanked him for his commitment and contribution. It called his tenure a time of special moments for Indian cricket. India head coach Gautam Gambhir also paid tribute. He praised Agarkar’s conviction and his focus on putting the team first. Gambhir said history will remember his work kindly.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia also shared some news. He said VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence, will attend all future senior selection meetings. The goal is to make sure there is no miscommunication between the selectors and the CoE.
India had a lot of success during his time. They won the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2026 T20 World Cup. They also won two Asia Cup titles and back-to-back Asian Games gold medals. They reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Who Could Be The Next Chief Selector Of India?
Ajit Agarkar was not pushed out early. His contract simply ran out. He told the BCCI around the board’s AGM in September that he would not continue. He had also missed a review meeting in Mumbai on September 3.
Reports say one issue was the Rohit Sharma situation. After the England tour in July, the selection committee reportedly agreed to move on from Rohit for the 2027 World Cup. That decision was passed on to Rohit. But Rohit was still picked for the West Indies ODIs. Reports say Ajit Agarkar was unhappy because he felt his plans were not being followed. Neither Agarkar nor the BCCI has confirmed this.
The deadline to apply is 5 PM IST on October 14. The new selector must come from the West Zone. That zone covers Mumbai, Gujarat, Saurashtra, Baroda, Maharashtra, and Vidarbha. Applicants need at least seven Tests, or 30 first-class matches, or 10 ODIs plus 20 first-class games. They also must have been retired for five years.
Several names have been linked with the job.
Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel is seen as the front-runner. He played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs, and two T20Is between 2002 and 2018. His 25 Tests would put him just ahead of Ojha. He has worked as a talent scout with the Mumbai Indians. He is currently an assistant and batting coach at Gujarat Titans. If he gets the selector job, he would likely have to leave that IPL role.
Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan is another option. He played 29 Tests for India. He was part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy winning teams. He now works as a commentator and analyst. It is not clear if he will apply.
Wasim Jaffer
Wasim Jaffer has the most Test caps among the likely candidates. He played 31 Tests as a Mumbai opener. He scored five Test centuries, including two double hundreds. He retired in March 2020. He was the first player to reach 11,000 Ranji Trophy runs. If he applies, he would become chairman because of his Test count.
Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan played 92 Tests. He has the best playing record among those linked with the job. But he has just been named head coach of Chennai Super Kings for IPL 2027. That makes it unlikely he will apply.
Sameer Dighe
Sameer Dighe is another West Zone name. He played six Tests and 23 ODIs for India from 2000 to 2001. He also played 83 first-class matches. He has selection and coaching experience. He was part of the Mumbai selection committee from 2009. He has coached Mumbai, Tripura, and Mumbai Indians.
FAQs
Q. Who is the front-runner to replace Ajit Agarkar?
A. Parthiv Patel is seen as the front-runner.
Q. Who is serving as interim chief selector?
A. Pragyan Ojha is the interim chief selector.
Q. Who has the most Test caps among likely candidates?
A. Zaheer Khan has the most Test caps.
Q. When is the application deadline?
A. The deadline is October 14 at 5 PM IST.
Q. Why did Ajit Agarkar leave the role?
A. His contract ended, and he did not seek an extension.
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