India has won the T20 World Cup twice and the Champions Trophy, while Ajit Agarkar has been the chief selector. Image Credit: ANI
The men’s senior selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to extend his tenure till ODI World Cup 2027 as per a TOI report.
The former India bowler was rewarded after India’s T20 World Cup 2024 winning campaign and the Champions Trophy 2025 victory as his contract was extended by a year before the IPL 2025. The report further adds that the discussions are underway on the matter.
It remains to be seen whether Agarkar’s request will be agreed by the board. There were rumours in the BCCI corridors that another former cricketer from West Zone was the front-runner to take up the role.
Ajit Agarkar has been chairman of the men’s senior selection committee since June 2023. The Indian team has won three ICC trophies during this time. The first came in 2024 when India lifted the T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma. This was followed by Champions Trophy victory in 2025 under him. Later, India defended the T20I title after winning the 2026 T20 World Cup.
But the results in Tests haven’t been encouraging. India have suffered whitewash defeats at home against New Zealand and South Africa and lost the series in Australia. India are now staring at an early exit from the WTC final race. Moreover, under Agarkar’s tenure, India have gone through massive transitions with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin retiring from Tests. While Kohli and Rohit continue to play ODIs, Ashwin has retired from all formats. Whether Kohli and Rohit will feature in the 2027 World Cup remains a key question.
“Look, they [Rohit and Kohli] are part of the squad at the moment for Australia,” Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit 2025. “In two years’ time, we don’t know what the situation is going to be. So why just them two? It could be some other younger players [who might miss out on the tournament].”
“It’s still a long way away. We’ll see how the team shapes up, but we have some ideas, and as we go along we’ll probably have a better idea of where the team is progressing,” he added.
Both Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir have maintained “stay in the present” stance when the discussion comes up around Kohli and Rohit’s future.
Agarkar played 26 Tests, 191 ODIs, and four T20Is for India between 1998 and 2007, taking a combined 349 wickets.
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