Ajit Agarkar's Former Teammates Set to be Included in India's Selection Committee

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is gearing up to revamp its selection committee, which plays one of the most important roles in determining the future of Indian cricket. The Team India selection committee is charged with carrying out the act of picking squads for tournaments played on an international level. On the other hand, conducting extensive diligence on all players' form, maintaining a healthy balance of youth and experience, and ultimately ensuring that Indian cricket can maintain a competitive edge in all formats of the game.

Every single outcome result laid forth by this committee always has a long-lasting effect on outcomes and performance while on the cricket field, and therefore, whenever there are new, prospective members, the open appointment of members in the committee always garners a lot of interest.
The selection panel, chaired now by the former India pacer Ajit Agarkar, is about to see some new and or fresh faces on the panel. Ajit Agarkar, who took over as Chair, although only in the early part of 2023, has been an instrumental facet of different kinds of phases in Indian cricket, including ICC tournaments (and phases), bilateral series (conducted on international tours), and so on.

Since various cricketing tournaments are now on the table and potentially sometime on the same turf in terms of competition, the BCCI wants to rebuild the composition of the selection committee into one where prospective members understand the pressures of world cricket, as well as can provide a level of experience and knowledge to their decision-making process.

Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh are in Contention for Selection Committee

Some of Ajit Agarkar’s former colleagues, including Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh, are on the shortlist for the selection committee. Both have represented India and add their unique perspective and experiences, both as players and as past players of an evolving game, to the committee.

One of the best spinners in the world, Pragyan Ojha, was an incredible player in India’s bowling attack from 2009-2013 and was known for his ability to land the ball in the right spot and to take wickets on spin-friendly pitches, and he was often a key contributor to India's Test matches won at home. He was not flashy but effective, which is why he was trusted by captains to play during his career.

Meanwhile, RP Singh's contribution to Indian cricket is immense. One of the best bowlers in the world, RP Singh played 14 Tests, 58 ODIs, and 10 T20Is for Team India. The committee would have his experience as a traditional player, and would gain insight into modern-day cricket from him. This balance of experience and newness is what could help make him a solid appointment. As per the rules, the member should have played in 7 Tests, 30 FC matches, 10 ODIs, and 20 FC matches. Since both Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh have passed the criteria, they have a strong chance of being included in the selection committee.