The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the appointment of former Indian all-rounder Ajit Agarkar as the new chairman of the selection panel. This decision came after the unanimous recommendation of the Cricket Advisory Committee, which interviewed Agarkar for the position. While Agarkar’s appointment has been well-received by the cricket fraternity, it has also raised questions due to the breaking of a long-standing tradition within the BCCI.
Ajit Agarkar, who served as the chairman of selectors for Mumbai from 2017 to 2019, will now don the selector’s hat for the Indian national team. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role, having been associated with cricket in various capacities, including his recent stint with the IPL franchise Delhi Capitals as part of their coaching staff.
Two Selectors from the Same Zone: One of the main discussion points surrounding Agarkar’s appointment is that it breaks an age-old tradition within the BCCI. With Salil Ankola already representing the west zone in the selection panel, Agarkar’s inclusion now means that two selectors from the west zone are part of the panel, while none hail from the north zone. Traditionally, the BCCI has maintained a balance by appointing selectors from each of the five zones in India.
Despite the raised eyebrows, it’s important to note that the BCCI has not violated any rule or changed its regulations to appoint Agarkar. The decision was made based on the lack of high-profile candidates from the north zone applying for the role. The BCCI’s constitution, which adheres to the recommendations of the RM Lodha committee, does not specify appointments based on zones.
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The absence of specific rules regarding zone-based appointments in the BCCI’s constitution allowed the cricket board to appoint selectors based on availability and merit. In this case, the BCCI chose to forgo its tradition of selecting one representative from each zone due to the lack of suitable candidates from the north zone.
