Ajit Agarkar Decisions That Caused A Stir, But Proved Beneficial In The Long Run

Ajit Agarkar Virat Kohli Rohit Sharma (AFP)Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as India's chief selector is fast approaching its end. On Wednesday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Agarkar’s three-year tenure will come to a definite end on October 4.The former Indian fast bowler had already informed the BCCI that he does not seek an extension to his contract.Agarkar took over as chairman of the senior men’s selection committee in July 2023, succeeding Chetan Sharma. His tenure has included India’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2024, and 2026, and the Champions Trophy title in 2025.People who know Agarkar well say that he makes cricket decisions honestly, just like head coach Gautam Gambhir. Some of his decisions worked, while others did not.Most of which attracted great controversy, while some proved to be a boon to the Indian cricket.Ajit Agarkar is no longer the chief selector of the men’s national team. However, a lot had happened behind the scenes before his exit that changed the Indian cricket team massively.Along the same lines, let’s take a look at such 5 peculiar decisions taken by Ajit Agarkar during his tenure as chief selector that, in hindsight, proved good for the Indian Cricket Team.1) Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli Phase Out From TestsRecently, reports have circulated online that the BCCI gave Agarkar the freedom to make major changes to the Indian team, including decisions related to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s Test retirements.In Rohit’s case, the right-hander was in dismal form in the Test series against New Zealand and Australia, unable to buy a run.The situation got so bad Down Under that he even had to stand out from the last Test in Sydney. However, at that time, Rohit cleared the air about his Test cricket future in a candid interview during the lunch break on Day 2 of the Sydney Test.Also read: Ajit Agarkar's Biggest Controversies As BCCI Chief SelectorOn the other hand, in a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) podcast, Virat revealed that his decision to rewrite stemmed from the feeling of not being wanted anymore.He said, “If I'm made to feel like I need to prove my worth and my value, I'm not in that space.”His statement suggests the Indian legend refused to stay in an environment where he is repeatedly forced to prove his worth after years of dedication.However, the two biggest names in modern-day Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, stepped away from Test cricket in May 2025, just days before the squad announcement for the England tour.Why is Rohit-Kohli Test retirement good for India in hindsight?Both veterans, in their 30s, faced a prolonged slump in Test cricket since 2020.Thus, fans and experts assume the selectors conveyed their stance on including the two in the Test setup. Reports indicate that the BCCI and selectors planned to move toward a new captain, ultimately naming Shubman Gill, ahead of an important English Test series.Eventually, the two stalwarts’ Test retirement opened the door for a generational transition and gave younger talent, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal, a vital chance to step up. 2) Harshit Rana's Fast TrackingDuring Agarkar’s tenure, young fast-bowler Harshit Rana has been fast-tracked into the India national cricket team. He made his IPL debut for Kolkata Knight Riders before his senior domestic debut, quickly grabbing attention with bounce and variations.Also read: Harshit Rana, Shivam Dube Stripped Of Allrounders' Tag By India LegendIn 2024, he was officially accelerated into the senior India setup following a title-winning IPL campaign.Since his debut, Rana has emerged as a key fast-bowling prospect for India, making history as the first Indian bowler to take a three-wicket haul on debut across all three international formats. 3) Shami Being Kept OutMohammed Shami, the seasoned Indian pacer, has been on the sidelines since March 2025, and he last played for the national team in the Champions Trophy the same year.Despite a string of consistent domestic performances, Shami continues to be ignored, and it seems his India career is all but over.When asked about Shami’s inclusion, Ajit Agarkar clearly said the veteran Indian pacer is no longer in the conversation. The decision stems from Shami's heel and Achilles surgery, and whether his body can sustain the workload that Test cricket and 50-over internationals demand.The 36 years old, Shami’s exclusion allows the committee to aggressively build a long-term pace attack for the future ICC cycles by prioritising younger prospects.4) Sacking Rohit And SKY After ICC Title WinsRight after leading India to the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy title, Rohit Sharma was removed from ODI leadership, as Shubman Gill was named his successor.Agarkar also sacked Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain and even dropped him from the squad in June 2026 despite having just led India to a historic second consecutive title at the 2026 T20 World Cup, appointing Shreyas Iyer as the new skipper.After spearheading these controversial leadership changes, Ajit Agarkar faced heavy backlash.However, Agarkar’s decisions reflect his focus on long-term future planning and transition cycles ahead of upcoming global tournaments.For the unversed, Suryakumar had suffered a prolonged lean patch with the bat, and the selectors believed the former captain must also consistently contribute runs and remain a constant performer.Also read: Ajit Agarkar Forced To Quit BCCI Over Rohit Sharma, VVS Laxman SagaIn Rohit’s case, Agarkar wanted to build the team for the 2027 ODI World Cup by grooming Shubman Gill and giving younger options like Yashasvi Jaiswal extended runs.The committee also doubted whether Rohit would maintain his peak effectiveness in overseas conditions (such as South Africa) by the time the next cycle culminated.5) Bringing In Players With More All-Round Capabilities In T20IsUnder Ajit Agarkar, India focused on building more balanced T20I squads with greater all-round ability. The aim was to address two common problems: a weak lower order and limited bowling options among top-order batters.During his tenure, which is set to end soon, India won back-to-back T20 World Cups in 2024 and 2026, along with the 2025 Champions Trophy. His approach focused on giving India greater flexibility in team selection and more options across batting and bowling.Agarkar's panels consistently favoured bowling all-rounders like Axar Patel (elevated to T20I vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Shivam Dube to ensure India could bat deep down to positions 8 or 9.Also read: Perth Scorchers Re-sign Sophie Devine For WBBL 2026