Former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for the time being will be interim head of the four-man selection committee after Ajit Agarkar’s departure and is in line to become the next chief selector.
IMAGE: Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir with interim selection committee chairman Pragyan Ojha. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Pragyan Ojha has been appointed interim head of the four-man Indian cricket selection committee after Ajit Agarkar’s exit.
- Head coach Gautam Gambhir held a significant meeting with selectors to discuss squad finalisation for India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand.
- The New Zealand tour, scheduled from October 22 to November 27, includes T20Is, ODIs, and Tests, alongside India A matches.
- The selection committee needs to pick squads for India A Tests, T20Is, ODIs, and the main Test team.
- The tour is crucial for assessing player combinations and workloads in preparation for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha for the time being will be 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.
Interim Leadership and Key Discussions
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 Pragyan 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.
The discussion is understood to have been related to India’s New Zealand tour, with the selection committee expected to finalise the squad for the impending New Zealand series.
India’s Extensive New Zealand Tour Schedule
• RoKo Mania Builds Ahead of Guwahati ODI
India’s Extensive New Zealand Tour Schedule
India are scheduled to play a full tour of New Zealand from October 22 to November 27.
The series will begin with a five-match T20I leg, with the opening game scheduled in Christchurch on October 22.
A five-match ODI series will follow, beginning in Auckland on November 4. The tour will conclude with two Tests, in Wellington and Christchurch, from November 19. There is also India A’s shadow tour where they play three ‘A’ Tests between October 24 and November 10.
With the 2027 ODI World Cup preparations already gathering pace, the New Zealand tour is also expected to provide another opportunity for the team management and selectors to assess combinations and player workloads across formats.
