With Ajit Agarkar becoming the new chairman of the BCCI’s Selection Committee, it is not a walk in the park for him. On the contrary, Ajit Agakar will now have to take 5 major decisions for the Indian Cricket Team. Some of the major decisions include the appointment of Hardik Pandya as the permanent skipper of the T20 team along with the future of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
It’s official! Ajit Agarkar new chairman of BCCI Selection Committee
1. Test and T20 Reboot
One of the top most things on the agenda for Ajit Agarkar will be the rebooting of the entire Test and T20 team. It is no surprise that the T20 Squad and the Test team will need a complete reboot with youngsters filling up the squad. Though the ODI team is not completely set, it however has a core setup that can be tweaked as and when required.
The same will be needed for both the T20 and ODI squads. With the time approaching for the seniors to pave the way for the new generation, the transition of the new players into the squad needs to be a natural process. So what needs to be done? Give the captain what he wants. Let the captain decide on the team that he needs.
While Hardik Pandya has been at the helm of the T20 squad since the T20 World Cup, the Test setup too needs a change. Pundits were left surprised when Ajinkya Rahane who was 14 months without cricket was opted as the vice-captain for the Tour against West Indies. Therefore keeping the focus on the future, both the Test and T20 Team need a complete reboot.
2. Hardik Pandya Permanent T20 Captain? ODIs?
Yet another important decision that needs to be sorted out by Ajit Agarkar is the selection of Hardik Pandya as the Permanent Captain of the T20 team and also of the ODIs. The Indian all-rounder has been at the helm of the T20 squad for quite some time and has shown time and again as an able captain.
Under his captaincy, the Gujarat Titans won the IPL in their inaugural season and reached the finals in 2023. With time coming up for Rohit Sharma to pass on the baton and the BCCI looking for a young T20 team, Pandya is the best player to lead the team in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Should India focus to bring the trophy home, the selection of the permanent captain and setting the foundation of the team needs to be done very soon.
As for the ODIs, there will be mixed views about handing the captaincy to Pandya with the likes of Jadeja and Bumrah present to lead the squad, but that remains a question for another day. With Rohit Sharma playing his last ODI World Cup this year, it is high time to look for captaincy replacements.
3. Rahul Dravid’s Future as India Team Head Coach
Rahul Dravid’s stint as the Head Coach of the Indian Team cannot be classified as Great. In big tournaments especially at the International level, the Indian team has faltered under the captaincy of The Wall. A Super 4 exit in the Asia Cup 2022, followed by a semi-final exit in the T20 World Cup last year didn’t do well with the BCCI top grass. Adding more insult, India’s humiliating loss to Australia in the WTC Finals.
While Dravid’s days are not numbered, but the 2023 World Cup will be a big point for the former Indian captain to extend his career as the coach of the team. Should India falter to win the cup, with the additional advantage of home support, Ajit Agakar will have to make a tough choice in finding another head coach for India.
IND vs WI T20 squad next week as Ajit Agarkar takes charge as chief selector
While India under Dravid has been good in bilateral series, however, without proper silverware, it doesn’t add up much to the value. Eventually, success is defined by Trophies and Cups in the modern sport. Dravid still has time to build on the core team for the ODI World Cup and in all likelihood he will do away with his excessive experimentations.
4. World Cup Squad in Focus after T20 World Cup and WTC Finals Failure
Ajit Agarkar now will also have to turn his attention to the ODI squad. After repeated failures in the past ICC Tournaments, the Men In Blue are now put under the microscope. It will be a terrible affair if the hosts and the favorites fail to win the 2023 World Cup. With time still remaining for the World Cup, the squad selection should be done and dusted.
While there are quite a few injury concerns in the team, it is high time that the chairman of the BCCI’s Selection Committee starts taking tough calls in deciding the squad. Should a player be deemed as surplus, he should be chopped off without even thinking of the name ‘who he is’. If the senior players fail to perform in the series and matches ahead of the World Cup, they should be dropped from the squad.
5. Phasing out of the Seniors
Last and yet one of the most important things that Agarkar has to do is oversee the smooth transition of the senior players from the squad. On the other hand, he will also have to be patient in the incorporation of the youngsters into the setup. The Indian Team is now ready for the next batch of players and it is time for the seniors to pass the baton to the next batch.
Virat Kohli is 34 and has a maximum of 2 years left in him at the highest level, and that is particularly owing to his extreme fitness. On the other hand, it is time for other players like Rohit Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, and Ravichandran Ashwin to slowly phase out.
The BCCI has made it clear that the T20 squad for the 2024 World Cup will be a team of youngsters, with the only senior being Kohli (highly likely). But for Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar it is time up for them in the shortest format of the game. While the trio can continue for a year or two in ODIs, the likes of Chesteshwar Pujara and Ashwin should also slowly start to hang their boots from red-ball cricket.
Now, this is a very crucial process and should be dealt with utmost care and should be thoroughly presided over by Agarkar. He should devise a way to find and slowly start replacing the senior players from the squad and fill them up with the next batch of youngsters who are keen to cement their place in the team.
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