Ajit Agarkar leaving as chief selector

Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as the chief selector of the Indian side is set to end next month. Even until recently, it was widely believed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would extend his stay until the end of the ODI World Cup in 2027 in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, especially after clinching the third successive ICC title under his watch.

The recent episode surrounds Rohit Sharma’s retirement rumours, just after the end of the second ODI of the three-match series against England. The mixed messaging from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Rohit’s century in the third ODI at Lord’s complicated Agarkar’s position.

The Rohit Sharma ODI fallout that's reportedly costing Agarkar his job

According to the reports of Mint, the Rohit Sharma episode has made the situation incredibly difficult for Agarkar. His original tenure ended in June this year before the board granted him an extension of three months. However, the board has now been weighing its options.

The former Indian batter, VVS Laxman, who is currently the head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), has emerged as a potential successor. It is stated that the discussions are still at the consideration stage, with the final decision being expected to be made during the Annual General Meeting in September.

The reports have also claimed that BCCI officials feel that the views of Laxman would carry greater weight and that the senior players like Rohit and Virat Kohli would also be more receptive to his advice. It’s not the first time he has been lined up with a high-profile role involving the senior men’s team.

Following Rahul Dravid’s departure in 2024, Laxman was considered for the head coach’s position before the board eventually appointed Gambhir. After India’s successive Test whitewashes at home, there were reports of Laxman taking charge of the red-ball side in the split-coaching model.

How Team India performed under Ajit Agarkar as chief selector

Since Agarkar took over as the chief selector in July 2023, the blue brigade has reached four white-ball finals in the ICC event, winning three consecutive global titles- the T20 World Cup 2024, the T20 World Cup 2026, and the Champions Trophy 2025.

Several selection calls have come under scrutiny in recent months, as it prompted some fresh deliberations within the board over whether to continue with Agarkar through the ODI World Cup 2027 or hand over the reins to Laxman.

India will have a few tough assignments in the next 15 months, including the two-match Test series in Sri Lanka and New Zealand, along with the five-match Test series against Australia down under in early 2027 and the ODI World Cup 2027.