In more ways than one, Ajit Agarkar’s appointment as chief selector of India’s men’s cricket team is a watershed moment. To bring in a big name like Agarkar, the BCCI abandoned its age-old practice of choosing selectors from different zones to ensure balanced representation. This time, they decided on Agarkar based on his prominence rather than his place of origin, although another West Zone representative (Salil Ankola) was already on the committee.
One of the main reasons why notable former cricketers did not want to join India’s senior selection committee was the poor pay provided by the BCCI. The chairperson of India’s older men’s squad is paid 1 crore annually, while the other four members are paid 90 lahks each. It is far lower than other high-profile occupations in the men’s squad. Even for Agarkar, the BCCI has reportedly pledged to make amends.
In recent memory, Agarkar is expected to earn the most extensive compensation as India’s chief selector. Agarkar, who has played in four World Cups and was a member of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2007, earned a lot of money as an expert from corporate events, commentary jobs, and television appearances. He was also an assistant coach for the IPL’s Delhi Capitals. His hands were full, much like the other ‘great names’ in Indian cricket.
That’s when BCCI decided to increase its game. According to sources, Agarkar was the only candidate interviewed for the position of head selector by the Cricket Advisory Committee, which included Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape, and Sulakshana Naik. And the BCCI contacted him with the prospect of a better pay package.
According to the Indian Express, the BCCI’s Apex Council will decide on Agarkar’s salary on Friday.
As India’s chief selector, Agarkar introduces new faces.
Meanwhile, at his first meeting with the selection committee, Agarkar and the other four selectors, Subroto Banerjee, S Sharath, Salil Ankola, and SS Das, chose an Indian T20I squad for the future.
The new selection committee should have included Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli in India’s T20I squad for the five-match series against the West Indies. It has been learned that Kohli and Rohit would only be considered for T20Is if there is a significant alteration. Since last year’s World Cup in Australia, the veterans of Indian cricket have not played a T20I.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma debuted, while Avesh Khan, Sanju Samson, and Ravi Bishnoi returned to the squad. Another intriguing selection was Axar Patel over Ravindra Jadeja. However, it is believed that Jadeja has been rested, unlike Kohli and Rohit.
Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal make India’s T20I squad in Agarkar’s first assignment as chairman of selectors.
The BCCI’s Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee confirmed India’s roster for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, which begins in August.
Tilak Varma and Yashasvi Jaiswal have made India’s 15-man team for the five-match T20I series against the West Indies, which begins on August 3. Besides granting the two IPL 2023 sensations their first India call-ups, Ajit Agarkar, the BCCI’s newly-appointed head of selectors, has yet to give the Hardik Pandya-led T20I set-up too many chances.
Jaiswal accomplished a trifecta by being named to the 20-overs squad after being selected for the Test and ODI teams. At the same time, Varma has been rewarded for great back-to-back seasons with the Mumbai Indians. On predicted lines, neither Virat Kohli nor Rohit Sharma has a place as India attempts to make a transitional change beginning with T20Is in preparation for the World Cup next year.
Suryakumar Yadav will be Hardik’s deputy, and the roster contains several players who did not play in the New Zealand series earlier this year. Avesh Khan returns from injury, as does Sanju Samson and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, and Prithvi Shaw are among those who did not cut. Mukesh Kumar, the fast bowler, has kept his place, but whether he plays in any of the five matches scheduled for Trinidad, Guyana, and Lauderhill, Florida, remains to be seen.
However, let us focus on the men of the hour, Varma and Jaiswal, whose stocks continue to increase. Mumbai’s Jaiswal, 22, had a raging IPL 2023 season for Rajasthan Royals, amassing 625 runs from 14 matches, including the fastest fifty in IPL history off just 13 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders. It came on the heels of a century (124 vs Mumbai Indians) and four half-centuries. His success across all formats made him a sure bet for the future, which Agarkar and his colleagues rightly recognized and backed.
Meanwhile, Varma picked up where he left off last year for MI this season. Although he did not match his IPL 2022 total, Varma’s impact of 343 runs in 11 matches was far more significant. Varma, purchased for 1.7 crores, scored numerous vital knocks, including an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls in MI’s IPL 2023 opener and a 17-ball 37 against Sunrisers Hyderabad with a strike rate 217. Varma was so brilliant that MI captain Rohit Sharma and former coach Ravi Shastri encouraged him to play for India soon.
Except for the glaring absence of Rinku Singh, who was a favorite to make the team, the remainder of the roster is being assembled, with Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh set to undertake fast-bowling duties with Mukesh and Avesh. Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal,
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