ODI World Cup 2023 | Why Ajit Agarkar's elevation to chief team selector is just the springboard India needs

Ajit Agarkar, 45, has played all formats, done plenty of commentary and understands the ebb and flow of the game today. (File photo)

Ajit Agarkar is a cricket geek. He delves deep into the game, and that reflects in his commentary and analysis. The former India all-rounder played all formats as a cricketer. And that worked in his favour as he was named the chief selector of the Indian men's cricket team by the Board of Control for Cricket in India earlier this week.

Kris Srikkanth and Sandeep Patil were the last big names who served in the role before M.S.K. Prasad took over in 2016. Later, Sunil Joshi and Chetan Sharma took up the challenge.

Having a chief selector with in-depth international experience helps as that allows the person to voice his opinion with gravitas. The 1983 World Cup winners Srikkanth (43 Tests and 146 ODIs) and Patil (29 Tests and 45 ODIs) had an edge. It is debatable if Prasad (six Tests and 17 ODIs), Sharma (23 Tests and 65 ODIs) and Joshi (15 Tests and 69 ODIs) commanded the same; their statistics as players certainly didn't match the legends'. Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had called the Prasad-led committee "lame ducks" after Team India's semifinal exit from the World Cup in 2019. The inclusion of Vijay Shankar, and the omission of Ambati Rayudu had raised eyebrows.

Agarkar's player stats — 26 Tests, 191 ODIs, four T20Is and the experience of playing and coaching in the Indian Premier League — is impressive, and one can expect him to make rational calls. All the chief selectors before Agarkar only played ODIs and Tests, whereas he was part of the Indian team that lifted the inaugural World T20 in 2007. He also led Mumbai in domestic cricket and won the Ranji Trophy.

Understanding modern-day requirements

Former India spin bowler Nilesh Kulkarni, who was Agarkar's team-mate in Mumbai and later colleague in the Mumbai Cricket Association selection panel, says the BCCI has made the right choice. "First of all, compliments to the secretary, president, the staff and the Cricket Advisory Committee for taking this step to appoint Ajit as the chief selector. He has been there and done that, plus he understands the modern-day cricket requirements considering the demands and challenges," Kulkarni told Moneycontrol.

Kulkarni added Agarkar will understand the workload management of players. "Giving periodic breaks to players is necessary. And he is one person who calls a spade a spade. As a chief selector, you will always be in a sticky situation with the current Indian team, and there will be geographical challenges too. We have got phenomenal talent waiting in the wings.

"Ajit will be consistent in his process and approach since he is studious," said Kulkarni, who made his Test debut under Sachin Tendulkar in 1997.

Valuable India player

Former BCCI secretary and erstwhile national selector Sanjay Jagdale says Agarkar's overall experience holds him in good stead. "He has been part of commentary teams and has seen a lot of cricket besides playing for India. His experience and knowledge will help rebuild the Indian team, which is in the transition phase now, by finding new talent.

"My first impression of Ajit is from when he was a U-16 cricketer in 1994. I was a junior selector then, and Raj Singh Dungarpur had told me to have a look at him with Hari Gidwani and Hemant Kanitkar. At that stage, he was a batter. Later, he developed fast bowling. He has made valuable contributions to India as a cricketer. I expect him to do the same thing as chief selector," said Jagdale, who spotted talents such as Narendra Hirwani, Murali Kartik, V.V.S. Laxman and Hrishikesh Kanitkar.

An all-rounder as chief selector

Agarkar can scan players through the lens of both batting and bowling. Being a solid lower-order batter, he often bailed India and Mumbai out of crises. The Mumbaikar has a Test hundred at Lord's and three ODI fifties in the blue jersey. He still holds the record for the fastest ODI fifty, off 21 balls, by an Indian.

In first-class cricket, Agarkar has four centuries and 16 fifties at an average of 28.75, besides 299 wickets with the red ball. He finished his international career with 288 ODI wickets, 58 Test scalps and three T20I wickets in four outings.

India has not won an ICC trophy since the Champions Trophy in 2013. The Board is leaving no stone unturned to break the jinx with the ODI World Cup at home come October. The officials decided to change the zonal format basis selection of the chairman. Agarkar is the second candidate from the West Zone in the panel with Salil Ankola. The Board looked at the potential of the candidate irrespective of zones.

The chairman of the men's selection committee gets Rs 1 crore annually, and the other four members receive a remuneration of Rs 90 lakh. According to reports, the money will be higher for the former India pacer who bowled India to their first Test victory in Australia after 22 years in the tour Down Under in 2003-04.

Agarkar is a product of Ramakant Achrekar - who was also Tendulkar's coach. He will be looking to lift the current Indian team with his merit-based choices. A day after his appointment, the BCCI announced the T20I squad for the series in West Indies. Young guns Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal earned maiden call-ups. Hardik Pandya will continue to lead in the shortest format with no clarity on the future of senior players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.