Gautam Gambhir & Ajit Agarkar are currently running the show | PC- AFP
Under chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Team India has won three back-to-back ICC titles, two T20 World Cups and the Champions Trophy 2025. However, things are not looking too pleasant for the 48-year-old.
The BCCI selection committee has been under a lot of scrutiny, especially after the Indian side’s poor show on the England and Ireland tour, where they won just a solitary fixture out of 10 white-ball games.
BCCI might not renew Ajit Agarkar's contract as chief selector
Former fast bowler Ajit Agarkar’s contract with the BCCI was originally had to end in June this year, but the Indian board gave its chief selector a three-month extension. However, according to a Dainik Jagran report, debates and discussions have started around Agarkar’s contract renewal.
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The 48-year-old wants to continue up until the ODI World Cup in 2027, while the BCCI is looking to weigh their options, with the CoE head VVS Laxman coming in as the front-runner to replace Agarkar.
"(Ajit) Agarkar's term ended in June this year, but the BCCI granted him a three-month extension. Initially, his term was considered to be extended until June 2027, but now some BCCI officials are considering appointing VVS Laxman, the head of the Centre of Excellence in Cricket, as the chief selector," the report stated.
VVS Laxman running for next chief selector's position?
If reports are to be believed, the legendary VVS Laxman is being considered the successor to Ajit Agarkar, although there is no certainty about the gravity of the situation.
The current CoE head recently served as Team India’s stand-in head coach during the three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe, which the Shreyas Iyer-led side won quite comfortably. Later, the Indian T20I skipper credited Laxman for the turnaround after the shambolic UK tour, and vice-versa.
After the Zimbabwe tour, the former Test specialist’s name was speculated as a replacement for coach Gautam Gambhir, but again the BCCI has not put any weight on these media reports.
That said, the BCCI is said to have its Annual General Meeting, after the IND vs SL Tests, in September, where all the permutations and combinations will be discussed.
"However, this is still at the consideration stage and a decision will be made at the BCCI's Annual General Meeting in September,” the report added.
Eyes on India's performance in Sri Lanka as BCCI makes Agarkar sweat
India, under Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir, are slated to take on Sri Lanka in an enthralling two-match Test series later this month. The team landed in the Island nation on Tuesday evening, before the three-day warm-up fixture in Colombo on August 7.
The Test series, meanwhile, will kickstart on August 15 at Galle, before the caravan returns to Colombo for the second match on August 23.
That said, the upcoming series could be the last straw for the chief selector Ajit Agarkar if India doesn’t perform well in Sri Lanka, as his tenure is hanging on a thin thread after all the recent media leaks about the team.
On the other hand, VVS Laxman could be a great choice as the next chairman of selectors, as during his tenure at CoE, he has worked tremendously with the current and upcoming players, which would make the scouting swifter.
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