BCCI shortlists 2 names as Agarkar's replacement [Source: AFP]In a significant development, the BCCI has shortlisted two candidates for Ajit Agarkar's replacement as the chairman of the selection committee. According to emerging reports, Agarkar has picked the final Team India squad for the West Indies ODIs and T20Is and is all set to conclude his tenure as the chief selector. It's worth mentioning that Agarkar was appointed as the chairman of the BCCI selection committee in July 2023 after Chetan Sharma resigned from the role. He received a brief three-month extension after completing his initial three-year tenure in June 2026. Pragyan Ojha, Parthiv Patel shortlisted by BCCI as Agarkar's replacementThe BCCI has reportedly opted against extending Ajit Agarkar's contract as the chief selector beyond September 2026. According to NDTV, the Indian cricket board has shortlisted two former cricketers- Parthiv Patel and Pragyan Ojha- as Agarkar's potential replacement as the new chairman of the BCCI selection committee. Pragyan Ojha is a former Indian cricketer who formed a potent spin bowling unit with Ravichandran Ashwin before the emergence of Ravindra Jadeja. Parthiv Patel, on the other hand, played as India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter before Dinesh Karthik and MS Dhoni made their respective international debuts. Parthiv is one of India's youngest debutants in international cricket, having played his first match for the team at the age of 17 years and 152 days. Both cricketers meet the criteria of playing at least seven Test matches and retiring from all forms of cricket at least 5 years before the application. Also Read: List Of All Series/Tournaments With Results That India Played Under Ajit Agarkar As Chief Selector (2023-2026)Pragyan Ojha and Parthiv Patel's career at a glancePragyan Ojha made his debut in an ODI against Bangladesh in 2008. However, his career eventually took shape as a Test cricketer, as the left-arm spinner went on to play 24 Tests for the national team. Overall, Pragyan represented India in 48 international matches, scalping 144 wickets across formats. Sachin Tendulkar's farewell Test at the Wankhede Stadium turned out to be Pragyan Ojha's final appearance for Team India, as he never received a recall despite registering a ten-wicket haul in that match. Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel made his debut way back in 2002 in a Test match against England at Trent Bridge. In a career spanning 16 years, Patel played 25 Tests, 38 ODIs and 2 T20Is for India, amassing 1706 runs across formats. He also accounted for 93 catches and 18 stumpings for the Indian team. What is Pragyan Ojha and Parthiv Patel's experience as selectors?Pragyan Ojha was appointed as a BCCI selector in September 2025 and currently serves as a member of the Ajit Agarkar-led committee. The former spinner reportedly played the peacemaker's role when tension escalated between senior cricketer Virat Kohli and the Gautam Gambhir-led team management regarding the former's participation in domestic cricket. Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel has never been part of the BCCI selection committee. However, he is widely regarded as an astute tactician for his exploits as the captain of Gujarat in the Indian domestic circuit. Statistically, Parthiv spearheaded Gujarat to 36 wins in 94 First-Class matches, besides leading them to 49 victories in 77 List-A games. Currently, the former cricketer serves as the assistant and batting coach of the Gujarat Titans franchise in the IPL. Also Read: Mohammad Rizwan Files Case Against His Own Crime Agency For Investigating Him
