Ajit Agarkar‘s position as India’s national selector is under significant scrutiny, with the BCCI considering a leadership change before the September 2026 deadline.
Retirement rumors surrounding Rohit Sharma, as well as what reports describe as confusing messaging from the board, have put more pressure on Agarkar’s position, according to Dainik Jagran.
Agarkar’s intended tenure ended in June 2026. The BCCI then offered him a three-month extension to allow for a systematic assessment, with his present tenure ending in September 2026.
The board has recognized that negotiations about who would fill the post in the future are still in the ‘consideration stage’, with no formal announcement made.
Since taking over as chief selector in July 2023, Agarkar has overseen a fruitful spell of white-ball cricket. India competed in four ICC white-ball finals during his tenure, winning three successive global titles: the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Why is Laxman being considered for the Chief Selector position?
VVS Laxman, who presently leads the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence, has emerged as the front-runner to succeed Agarkar. In that capacity, Laxman oversees the national cricket pipeline, which includes Under-19 development, coaching structure, education programs, and sports science.
Laxman has taken part in senior BCCI discussions on numerous occasions.
He was considered for the head coach position after Rahul Dravid stepped down in 2024, which eventually went to Gautam Gambhir.
According to reports, the board considered a split-coaching arrangement that would have put Laxman in command of Test cricket following India’s whitewashes under Gambhir, but those discussions failed to generate a conclusion. He also served as interim coach during India’s trip of Zimbabwe in 2026.
The basis behind his candidacy for the selection role is clearly mentioned in reports. “BCCI officials feel that Laxman’s views will carry greater weight and that senior players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would also be more receptive to his advice.”
What is the next confirmed step in the process?
Agarkar has stated his aim to stay in the position at least till the 2027 ODI World Cup. However, reports state that “the BCCI never gave him any clear assurances in this regard, and now the board’s stance appears to be changing.”
According to the source, Agarkar’s immediate future “depends on the outcome of the two Test series in Sri Lanka.” A final decision on the top selector post is scheduled to be made at the BCCI’s AGM in September 2026. The board has not published an official comment at this time.
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