As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials met for an important meeting in Mumbai, selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar was expected to attend. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir and captains Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer were present, but Agarkar was nowhere to be found. His absence also led to speculation over his future, as his contract is due for renewal. After the meeting, BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia explained the reason behind Agarkar’s absence.
Agarkar’s future as the selection committee chief remains secure, despite rumours swirling around VVS Laxman as his potential successor, according to a report in Cricbuzz . Addressing this, Saikia said: “I do not want to give any fodder to the speculators.” There have been rumours about a rift between the BCCI top brass and the duo of Agarkar and Gambhir over the future of former captain Rohit Sharma. The board is reportedly backing Rohit to play in the ODI World Cup next year, while Agarkar and Gambhir are keen to explore other options. Agarkar is expected to stay in charge at least until his contract expires in July next year. With the World Cup taking place in October-November, he could even be granted an extension. A question mark still lingers over his future as some social media accounts continue to claim that he is on his way out.
However, Saikia said there was not much to read into Agarkar’s absence from the meeting on Thursday.
Agarkar’s Upcoming Appearances in Domestic Cricket
Ajay Agarkar was recently seen in Sri Lanka during the second Test match involving the Indian team. He is expected to participate next in the Duleep Trophy final, which is set to commence on September 6.
