Reports: Ajit Agarkar frontrunner to be Chief Selector as BCCI plan to hike annual salary for the role

Former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar is likely to become the next Chief selector as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to increase the annual salary of the chairman of the selection committee. Earlier, there were reports that several big names of Indian cricket were not willing to apply for the position due to low remuneration.

The post had been vacant ever since former Chair of selectors Chetan Sharma resigned from the position earlier this year, following his involvement in a controversial sting operation. Sharma had made some shocking revelations about Indian players and their selection which got leaked in the media and hence was sacked from the role. 

Since then, former Indian cricketer Shiv Sundar Das from the East Zone has been leading the selection committee as Interim Chair until a new chairman is selected. According to a report in Indian Express, Agarkar is all set to become the next chairman after the BCCI promised him a hike in the annual salary, which is currently set at one crore annually. The other members of the selection committee are paid Rs 90 lakh each per year.

The report further suggests that Agarkar has applied for the post and is the front-runner for the role, due to a lack of big names among the applicants. The Maharashtra-born cricketer recently parted ways with Delhi Capitals, where he serves as the assistant coach, which further clears his path to be the next chief selector.

Notably, he had also applied for the role earlier, back in 2020 but wasn’t selected. Agarkar will be joined by the likes of Subroto Banerjee, Salil Ankola, Sridharan Sharath and Shiv Sundar Das.

Announcement could be made after Apex Council Meeting

There were widespread reports which suggested that several former cricketers such as Virender Sehwag were unwilling to apply for the role as they could get paid better through advertisements and commentary roles. Hence, the BCCI decided to hike the annual salary to rope in a big name from Indian cricket.

Agarkar has played 26 Tests, 191 ODI and four T20s for India and was also a part of India’s victorious campaign in the T20 World Cup 2007 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. The announcement of the Chairman of Selectors' appointment is expected to be made during the Apex Council Meeting on July 7.