The BCCI is set to get some new faces in the administration as the new season approaches. As the former Indian cricketers RP Singh, former left-arm fast bowler and Pragyan Ojha, former left-arm spinner are in the running for the two open spots on the BCCI selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar.
Subroto Banerjee and S Sharath have stepped down so there is room for new faces on the selector panel. Ajit Agarkar, the former Indian fast bowler who heads the committee, is staying on as his contract has been extended. The appointments are expected to happen around September 28 when the board’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled to take place.
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RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha are the names being mentioned as potential new members of the senior selection committee. The BCCI had put out a call for applications last month to fill these two spots. According to the Indian Express, the response from well known former international cricketers hasn’t been overwhelming.
The only other prominent name to apply was Praveen Kumar, a former Indian captain. Also in the mix are Ashish Winston Zaidi, a former pacer from Uttar Pradesh and Shakti Singh from Himachal Pradesh.
To be eligible, the BCCI requires applicants to have played at least 7 Test matches, 30 First-Class matches or 10 ODIs and 20 First-Class matches. They also need to have been retired from the game for at least 5 years.
RP Singh retired in 2018 and Pragyan Ojha in February 2020. Another key requirement is that applicants shouldn’t have served on any BCCI cricket committee for a total of 5 years or more.
Considering these criteria, RP Singh with 14 Tests, 58 ODIs and 10 T20Is played between 2005 and 2011 and Pragyan Ojha who played 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and 6 T20Is appear to be ideal choices.
The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) consisting of Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe and Sulakshna Naik is in charge of shortlisting candidates for the two spots on the senior men’s selection committee. The CAC will shortlist and interview the candidates and then recommend the two names to the BCCI who will finalise. The new selectors will start next month.
