Agarkar signs on, financial hurdles notwithstanding

In the end, it turned out to be a one-horse race as Ajit Agarkar emerged as the sole candidate interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). The CAC, comprising Sulakshana Naik, Ashok Malhotra, and Jatin Paranjape, unanimously selected Agarkar as the preferred choice. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not say this but it is learnt that Agarkar's interview took place virtually on Tuesday (July 4) while he was in London.

Initially, Agarkar, a regular commentator and former coach of an IPL side, had reservations about accepting the job due to two main reasons. Firstly, the remuneration offered to the selector/chief selector was relatively low, and secondly, there were significant restrictions on his other professional opportunities. As a commentator and coach, he could earn significantly more than as a chief selector, whose annual salary is INR. 1 crore.

However it is understood that Agarkar was persuaded to take up the role by a cricketing legend, considering the crucial assignments ahead for the Indian team. With prior experience as the head of the Mumbai selection committee and a reputation as an astute reader of the game, Agarkar was deemed suitable for the position. Additionally, the BCCI was looking for a young candidate, and Agarkar fulfilled the criteria, having also played Twenty20 cricket, something very few selectors can boast of.

It is understood that the BCCI has agreed to increase the fee for the chairman's position from Rs 1 crore to Rs 3 crore per year. Whether the other four selectors, currently earning Rs 90 lakh per year, will also receive a pay hike is yet to be determined. Agarkar's appointment, however, put unwanted focus on his colleague and one time teammate Salil Ankola, the other selector from the same zone (West) and city (Mumbai). A potential course correction might be discussed at the BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September. Ankola, meanwhile, is on way to the West Indies for the series.

The new chairman's responsibilities will begin immediately, as a selection committee meeting has been called for Wednesday. The committee, now consisting of Shiv Sundar Das, Subroto Banerjee, Sridharan Sharath and Ankola besides new chairman, will finalize the squad for the five-match Twenty20 series against the West Indies in the Caribbean and the US.

An important point of consideration is the approach the new committee will adopt towards senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the Twenty20 side. While there may be a debate, it is likely that the new committee will continue the recent practice of selecting young talent under Hardik Pandya.

Promising performers from the IPL, such as Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Khaleel Ahmed, and others, are expected to be considered. Additionally, there is curiosity regarding the potential rest for pacers Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami, as well as whether Rinku Singh, who set a few grounds ablaze in the recent IPL, will be considered at all.