Ajit Agarkar’s innings ends, BCCI to look for new chairman of selectors - The Indian Express

Ajit Agarkar has decided not to seek an extension as chairman of the senior men’s selection committee, and the BCCI will now look for a candidate for the post.

“Agarkar didn’t ask for an extension. As there was no interest from his side, the BCCI has decided to look for a new chief selector,” a source told The Indian Express.

This paper had reported in August that BCCI officials would meet Agarkar to discuss a one-year extension to his term after India’s tour of Sri Lanka amid differences over Rohit Sharma’s ODI future in the lead-up to the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Agarkar was appointed chairman of selectors in July 2023. During his tenure, India reached the final of the ODI World Cup before winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. India also retained the T20 World Cup earlier this year.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia remained non-committal about Agarkar’s future after Friday’s AGM.

“Today, there has been no discussion about any individual. We still have 15 days to go. We will take a decision and let you know at an appropriate time,” he said.

Saikia also expressed confidence that the men’s and women’s Asia Cup trophies would eventually reach the Board’s Mumbai office.

The women’s team refused to accept the silverware from Asian Cricket Council president Mohsin Naqvi after beating Sri Lanka in the final in Dubai last Sunday. Naqvi is also the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman and his country’s interior minister. The Indian men’s team had taken the same position after winning the continental tournament last year.

“Asia Cup trophies, we hope, they will come one day. I will not give you a timeline. But I can assure you that both the trophies will come and land up in this office of the BCCI at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai,” Saikia said.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has increased the daily fees paid to domestic umpires, the first revision since 2017-18, and changed the way they will be graded and allotted matches. “Since 2017-18, there had been no revision of the fees of the umpires. So we have done a restructuring of their categories. Earlier, there were four categories, A+, A, B and C. Now we have restructured it as A, B, C and D. All their fees per day have been enhanced substantially,” the board secretary said.

Match referees will also receive higher fees.

The board has also introduced a system under which an umpire’s performance will determine the matches he gets. After every season, 10 umpires will move up a grade and 10 will move down based on their performance.

“Out of those who do well, 10 umpires will be upgraded to the next level. Those umpires who are at the upper level, if they are not performing up to that level, will be downgraded. 10 umpires will go up, 10 will go down,” he said.

Saikia said the BCCI will wait for a Central government notification before making any changes required to comply with the new Sports Act.

“Regarding the Sports Act, our stand is very clear. There are a lot of things which are yet to be done from the concerned authority. Once those exercises are completed, and once BCCI comes under the Sports Act, a particular notification has to be issued to make it a designated sport,” Saikia said.

“Till that time, we are not supposed to do anything. Whenever that notification comes, immediately, we will spring into action. We will do our work as per the new rules and the rules framed here.”

The BCCI’s position on the issue has also come up before the Supreme Court. Saikia said the board would explain its stand when the matter comes up again next month.

“As of today, there is nothing like what was mentioned in the Supreme Court. We will give the clarification on October 27, when the matter comes up next time,” he said.

Based in Mumbai, Shankar Narayan has over five years of experience and his reporting has ranged from the Ranji Trophy to ICC World Cups, and he writes extensively on women’s cricket. ... Read More

Having spent years covering Mumbai’s local "maidan" cricket circuit, Devendra Pandey brings a unique ground-level perspective to his reporting. ... Read More

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