New Delhi: Former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha will serve as the interim chief selector of the senior men’s team after Ajit Agarkar’s tenure came to an end on October 3, with the BCCI inviting applications to fill the vacancy on the selection committee.
Until a permanent appointment is made, Ojha will chair the panel — a significant responsibility at a time when India are naming squads across formats for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.
Thrown in at the deep end
Ojha has wasted no time. The interim chief was at the helm when the selectors picked the 16-member T20I squad for the New Zealand series, the panel that recalled Bhuvneshwar Kumar after four years and backed a blend of youth and experience for the five-match series beginning October 22.
It was a bold first squad — the Bhuvneshwar call in particular signalled a willingness to judge purely on performance — and it has set the tone for Ojha’s interim stint.
The Agarkar era ends
Agarkar’s departure closes a tenure that oversaw a period of transition in Indian cricket. The former fast bowler’s term concluded on October 3, and the BCCI moved quickly to invite fresh applications, keen to avoid a leadership vacuum with a packed international calendar ahead.
Ojha himself is no stranger to the pressures of top-level cricket. The left-arm spinner played 24 Tests for India, claiming 113 wickets with his crafty flight and drift, and was part of the side during a successful home era. Since retiring, he has stayed close to the game as a commentator and expert, building a reputation for sharp, honest analysis — qualities the BCCI will hope translate to the selection room.
The board’s processes around selection have been under the microscope in recent weeks. The decision to have VVS Laxman attend all senior selection meetings was aimed at improving communication between the selectors and the Centre of Excellence — a reform Ojha will now operate within.
What next
The BCCI’s invitation for applications suggests a permanent chief selector will be named in due course, but there is no fixed timeline. For now, Ojha’s panel must also finalise the Test and ODI squads for New Zealand, with several selection debates still open — not least the wicketkeeping question in the red-ball squad.
How Ojha navigates these next few weeks, balancing short-term calls with long-term vision, will define his interim tenure — and possibly his candidacy for the job full-time.
