The chief of the selection committee at the BCCI, Ajit Agarkar, found himself in an awkward spot on Saturday after being put on the spot with a tricky question about Indian team selections. Agarkar was in Mumbai for the Cricinfo Awards, held a day before the IPL 2026 final between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Former cricketer and Chairman of the Senior Men's Selection Committee for BCCI Ajit Agarkar during the 'Cricinfo Honours Awards' ceremony (PTI)
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After a clip of India's triumph at the 2026 T20 World Cup was played, presenter Danish Sait, better known for his role as Mr Nags on RCB's social media channels, asked Agarkar: "Do you look at this team and go, 'Man, what a good team I selected'?"
Caught off guard, Agarkar smiled and replied: "I have to be careful what I say. Things could get taken out of context."
However, he admitted that it was a proud moment to have led the selection committee that picked the squad which won the T20 World Cup. India lost just one match in the tournament before lifting their third T20 world title and second in succession.
"Yes, it was nice to relive that moment because I was there, and yes, it was nice to pick that team," he added.
But Danish wasn't done.
He followed it up with another question. "This is a country with more than a billion people. I want to know how many innovative ways you have found to tell people, 'Sorry man, not this time, maybe the next series'," he asked.
Agarkar laughed before replying: "I'm still trying to find ways. It's an everyday process."
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Danish then tried one final time to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into selection meetings.
"What's the most innovative one?" he asked.
That finally left Agarkar scrambling.
"Don't put me on the spot. It's not the night. There's a selection coming up in a few days," he said, laughing as the audience joined in.
Agarkar took charge as chairman of selectors in June 2023 and has overseen one of the most successful periods in recent Indian cricket history.
During his tenure, India have featured in four ICC tournaments, reaching the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup before winning the next three global events — the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Perhaps even more significantly, Agarkar has helped oversee a smooth transition period in Indian cricket, with both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma stepping away from T20Is and Test cricket during his tenure.
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His initial contract was due to end in March 2026, but the BCCI extended his term until the 2027 ODI World Cup following India's sustained success under his watch.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/'Don't put me on the spot': Ajit Agarkar left searching for words after being quizzed on BCCI selection secrets
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