Since MSK Prasad's tenure as Indian cricket’s chief selector has ended, the big question left is who will be taking his place?
Since MSK Prasad's tenure as Indian cricket’s chief selector has ended, the big question left is who will be taking his place?
The BCCI’s deadline for applicants closed on Friday and while many have applied, former fast bowler Ajit Agarkar seems to be the frontrunner.
At the time of writing, Agarkar and former India leg-spinner turned commentator Laxman Sivaramakrishnan had already applied.
The other cricketers who submitted their applications are Rajesh Chauhan, Amay Khurasia, Chetan Sharma, Nayan Mongia, and Abey Kuruvilla.
Former medium-pacer Venkatesh Prasad is also expected to apply, as is former off-spinner Nikhil Chopra, Hindustan Times reported.
The BCCI constitution says, ‘The senior-most Test cap among the members of the committee shall be appointed chairperson’.
As for Agarkar he has 26 Test caps and 191 ODIs and has played for India under then captain Sourav Ganguly, now the BCCI chief.
Agarkar has prior selection experience as he headed Mumbai’s selection committee. He would be a strong contender but for him to be appointed, BCCI would need to look beyond zonal considerations.
The outgoing chairman MSK Prasad is from the South Zone. The other vacancy in the committee is created by Central Zone’s Gagan Khoda, whose term has also expired.
Three other national selectors, Jatin Paranje (West Zone), Sarandeep Singh (North Zone) and Devang Gandhi (East Zone), are serving their last year.
Though this is not a formal rule, the BCCI follows it for the convention of replacing a selector with an applicant from the same zone.
That would put South Zone’s Sivaramakrishnan who has 9 Test caps, in the running, Hindustan Times reported.
The outgoing chief selector’s tenure ended in September 2019, but due to delay, Prasad had to continue in the post.
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