Top 3 Replacements for Ajit Agarkar as India's New Chief Selector

In recent months, there has been a growing debate over India’s team selections, with many fans openly questioning the decisions made by the national selection panel and claiming that the committee led by Ajit Agarkar has favoured a few regular names while overlooking other performers from domestic cricket and the IPL. Even though two members of the senior men’s selection group, namely S. Sharath and Subroto Banerjee, were replaced in September 2025, Agarkar was given an extension until June 2026, showing that the board still trusts his leadership.

Since taking charge as the Indian cricket team chief selector in July 2023, the former India all-rounder has seen a highly successful period for the national side, including a run to the final of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, followed by a title-winning campaign at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and another major victory at the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

These consistent performances in global tournaments are widely seen as key reasons why the richest cricket board in the world, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, decided to retain him till June 2026, but recently, there is growing buzz around Ajit Agarkar replacement and regarding who will be the new India chief selector post his tenure.

Who are the Top 3 Ajit Agarkar Replacements as New India Chief Selector?

With the tenure of Ajit Agarkar, India's Chief Selector, coming to an end in June 2026, some of the former Indian players are expected to be the frontrunners to take up his duties.

1. Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan was included in the senior men’s selection committee in September 2025. The former left-arm spinner represented India across all three formats and finished with 144 international wickets, including a prolific Test record at home conditions. Since retirement, he has remained closely connected to the game through commentary and involvement in league and administrative discussions. Ojha has quickly emerged as a strong internal candidate to replace Ajit Ajarkar.

2. RP Singh

The former India fast bowler, RP Singh, was also added to the selection panel in late 2025, bringing first-hand experience of ICC tournament success, having been a member of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad. He was a seasoned domestic performer for Uttar Pradesh and a former IPL participant. Since joining the committee, he has been actively monitoring domestic competitions and has been seen scouting players even in lesser-known domestic leagues.

3. Ravi Shastri

Though not part of the current selection setup, Shastri’s name entered the chief selector discussion in 2025 as a speculation about potential leadership changes in the committee. A former India head coach with a long tenure that included overseas Test successes, he has significant credibility for this role. While he himself cleared the rumour on-air in 2025, stating it as false news, but if the BCCI is considering him for this responsibility, he might just end up having a successful administrative career, after an iconic coaching experience for the Men in Blue.