Who is Ajit Agarkar? All You Need To Know About Front-Runner To Be Chief Selector
Ajit Agarkar (Twitter)
The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is scheduled to have a busy day this Friday, as they gather to select the next coach for the women's cricket team and appoint a new chief selector for the men's cricket team. According to reports, former Indian fast bowler Ajit Agarkar is currently the frontrunner for the coach position. The chief selector position has been vacant since February, when Chetan Sharma resigned after being caught revealing team secrets in a controversial sting operation. Shiv Shankar Das has been serving as the acting chief selector in the interim.
"The CAC has the mandate to pick a selector who can stand up to the high profile team management in case there are differences," the BCCI official said.
The BCCI had recently shared the job application on their social media accounts, with the deadline for applications being June 30. While the selection of the coach may not be finalised on June 30, it is expected to be discussed during the meeting.
Who is Ajit Agarkar?
Ajit Agarkar is a strong contender for the position as he possesses a wealth of experience and achievements in cricket. Having represented India in numerous matches, including being a member of the victorious T20 World Cup squad in 2007, Agarkar has established himself as a seasoned player.
Ajit Agarkar has registered some extremely impressive records for Team India during his days. (Twitter)
His notable accomplishments include scoring a century in Test cricket at the renowned Lord's cricket ground. With 26 Tests, 191 ODIs, and 4 T20s for India, Agarkar has taken a total of 58 wickets in Tests, 288 wickets in ODIs, and 3 wickets in T20Is. Additionally, he has contributed to the Delhi Capitals' support staff in the recent IPL.
After retiring from international cricket, Agarkar transitioned into a successful career as a commentator. It is worth mentioning that he still holds the record for being the fastest Indian bowler to reach 50 ODI wickets, achieving this milestone in just 23 matches.
It is worth noting that Agarkar was a contender for the chief selector role in the previous selection process but lost to Chetan Sharma. However, he is now reportedly the leading candidate for the highly demanding position. Moreover, he has just also left the IPL Delhi Capitals team, where he was the assistant coach.
If Agarkar is appointed, it would result in two selectors from the West Zone, as Salil Ankola is already part of the panel. Initially, there were reports suggesting that the BCCI was considering Virender Sehwag for the chief selector position. However, it appears that the former batsman is not interested in the role and has not submitted an application for it.
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