Former India cricketer Pragyan Ojha is currently serving as the ‘interim’ chief selector after Ajit Agarkar’s tenure came to an end earlier this month.
Updated: October 15, 2026, 12:11 PM IST
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BCCI selectors Pragyan Ojha (right) and RP Singh(Photo: IANS)
Former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar’s tenure as the chairman of men’s senior selection committee ended on October 4 after he refused to accept the offer to extend his tenure by one more yearThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have already come out with an advertisement to pick Agarkar’s replacement on the selection panel.
In the meantime, East Zone selector Pragyan Ojha is serving as the ‘interim chief’ of the selection panel was instrumental in selecting the T20I squad and as India ‘A’ team against New Zealand starting later this monthThis arrangement of Ojha serving as the ‘interim chief’ is set to continue, according to a report in TOI newspaper.
Read more:
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel yet to apply for BCCI chief selector’s post as deadline ends
₹5 CRORE INCREASE IN BCCI SELECTORS’ BUDGET – BIG CHANGES COMING?
– BCCI has increased the selectors’ budget by ₹5 crore since Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh joined last year.
– The board is ready to spend more on a new chief selector if it gets a big name.
– VVS Laxman could get a greater say in selection matters.
– BCCI has increased the selection committee’s budget to ₹19.35 crore for 2026–27.
— Sam (@cricsam02) October 15, 2026
Former India and Mumbai Indians wicket-keeper batter Parthiv Patel had been tipped to replace Ajit Agarkar and possibly become the next selection committee chairman as wellBut contrary to report, Parthiv Patel hasn’t even applied for the post as yet.
With Parthiv choosing not to apply, there is growing speculation that former India batter and head of BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) VVS Laxman will have a greater say in selection matters going forwardBCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had already informed earlier this month that Laxman will be attending all selection committee meeting going forward.
“BCCI would have preferred the continuity with Agarkar staying on until the ODI World Cup 2027 but things didn’t go as expectedIf a new chairman of selection committee comes in, there’s a chance his vision can be different from the ones working nowSo the board will have to gauge the vision of the new selector,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI newspaper.
“With Laxman’s growing influence, the board may let things remain the way they are at present,” the source added.
BCCI intend to increase budget by Rs 5 crore to attract ‘big names’
According to the TOI report, BCCI had increased the annual budget on selection committee by Rs 3 crore to Rs 17.45 crore last year when former India cricketers RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha had joined the panelThe board has now reserved a budget of Rs 19.35 crore for the 2026-27 financial year, which means an increase of around Rs 5 crore over the last couple of years to attract big names for the post of national selectors.
The Board had also reached out to a couple of former India cricketers who had represented the country in over 100 Tests but both of them have turned down the offer for nowIt remains to be seen who will fill the vacant position of Agarkar or will Ojha take full-time charge as the next chief selector.
