Former India opener Wasim Jaffer assessed Agarkar’s tenure prior to India’s two-match away Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins on August 15 in Galle. Jaffer acknowledged the noticeable outcomes achieved during this period while highlighting the supremacy displayed in limited-overs cricket.
Ajit Agarkar took over as Chairman of the BCCI’s Senior Men’s Selection Committee on July 4, 2023, replacing Chetan Sharma. Following his tenure, India’s white-ball teams have won the Champions Trophy in 2025 and the T20 World Cup in 2024 and 2026. The team also made it to the 2023 ODI World Cup home final.
“I think this tenure has been successful if you talk about winning.” I think the trophies we have won speak for themselves since you are known by your accomplishments. When it comes to the Indian team’s performance, particularly in white-ball cricket, we have dominated.”India has won the Asia Cup, the Champions Trophy, and two consecutive T20 World Cups if we exclude the 2023 World Cup final.
“So, India has dominated white-ball cricket,” Wasim Jaffer stated on his YouTube account. However, we have dominated white-ball cricket and possess that kind of quality. You would thus consider this stint to be successful in terms of performances,” he continued.
Problems with player handling and clarity
Wasim Jaffer did, however, voice grave concerns about some players’ management and the reasoning behind specific selection decisions. He gave several examples of how players’ treatment and the selection process itself need scrutiny and discussion. Jaffer thinks that these issues represent controversial aspects of the term that cannot be ignored, despite the trophy wins: “But the way some players have been handled and some of the selections that have been made are debatable, there is no doubt about that.”
The names of Mohammed Shami, Sarfaraz Khan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Auqib Nabi—who was not chosen before but has now been chosen as a replacement—can all be considered negatively, in my opinion.
“Why aren’t these choices made, and why aren’t players receiving clarity?” Wasim Jaffer asked.
Wasim Jaffer critique focused on the lack of information provided to players regarding their prospects of being chosen and the reasons for inclusion or rejection. The incidents he mentioned span all phases of Agarkar’s career and involve players from different formats.
The former opener’s comments suggest that while trophy wins validate the selection committee’s overall direction, the process and correspondence regarding the management of specific players remain debatable.
India’s performance in Test cricket during this period stands in stark contrast to their dominance in white-ball cricket. The team failed to advance to the 2025 World Test Championship final in addition to losing home series against South Africa in 2025 and New Zealand in 2024.
Agarkar’s contract was due to finish in June 2026, but it was extended by three months, thus he was able to stay on until August of that year.
