Pragyan Ojha named interim chairman of selector after Agarkar exit

FILE IMAGE: Pragyan Ojha along with RP Singh during the Duleep Trophy semifinal earlier this month. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has been made the interim head of the four-man selection committee after Ajit Agarkar’s departure and is in line to become the next chief selector.

While the Indian team taking a day off after a long flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Guwahati, head coach Gautam Gambhir was seen engaged in a lengthy discussion with the four-member National selection committee on the eve of the second ODI against the West Indies, here on Tuesday.

The presence of all four selectors during a bilateral series is not commonplace, making their meeting with Gambhir particularly noteworthy ahead of India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand from October 22 to November 27.

The selectors need to select squad for three India A Tests, T20Is and ODI squad along with the Test team. With the last ODI slated for November 15 in Tauranga and first Test starting on November 19 in Wellington, some of the key Test players, who are part of the ODI squad might be released early for training sessions.

On Tuesday, outgoing chief selector Ajit Agarkar, however, was not present as Gambhir held the discussion with Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra, R P Singh and Ojha on the sidelines of the Barsapara Stadium while the West Indies went through their training session. Ojha, who has played 24 Tests, is currently the interim head of selection committee.