Ajit Agarkar has exited the selection scene. His role as chief selector in picking the squad for the home ODI series against the West Indies was his last. The BCCI has reportedly named former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha as the interim head of the current four-member selection committee, with the 24-Test veteran also in line to be promoted officially to the post.
Former cricketers Pragyan Ojha and Rudra Pratap Singh on day three of the Duleep Trophy Semi-final 1 cricket match between Central Zone and East Zone, at BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) grounds (PTI)
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On Tuesday, head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen having a lengthy chat with the four current members of the selection committee -- Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra, R P Singh and Ojha -- at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati, where India will take on the West Indies in the second game of the series. Agarkar was not present.
According to a PTI report, Ojha has been named interim head of the selection committee and is in line to become the next chief selector.
While a discussion between the four selectors and Gambhir is nothing unusual, it carries added significance with the committee set to soon sit down to pick the squads for India's upcoming tour of New Zealand — including the India A side for three Tests, the T20I and ODI squads, and the Test team.
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The tricky part of the selection process will be managing the overlap between the ODI and Test schedules. India will play the final ODI of the tour on November 15, with the first Test beginning in Wellington just four days later. That could mean releasing some regular Test members early for training sessions, leaving the selectors with a considerable selection headache, particularly because both formats carry significance in this cycle.
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The tricky part of the selection process will be managing the overlap between the ODI and Test schedules. India will play the final ODI of the tour on November 15, with the first Test beginning in Wellington just four days later. That could mean releasing some regular Test members early for training sessions, leaving the selectors with a considerable selection headache, particularly because both formats carry significance in this cycle.
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The full tour will run from October 22 to November 27, beginning with a five-match T20I series in Christchurch.
A five-match ODI series will follow, beginning in Auckland on November 4. The tour will conclude with two Tests, in Wellington and Christchurch, from November 19.
There is also an India A shadow tour, with the side playing three 'A' Tests between October 24 and November 10.
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With preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup already gathering pace, the New Zealand tour is also expected to provide another opportunity for the team management and selectors to assess combinations and manage player workloads across formats.
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/Pragyan Ojha gets interim chief selector role after Ajit Agarkar's exit, in line for full-time promotion: Report
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