BCCI plays down Agarkar's absence

Ajit Agarkar was conspicuous by his absence from the high-powered review meeting in Mumbai – his hometown – on Thursday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) went to some lengths to explain that there was nothing to read into his non-participation in the meeting. But questions lingered.

“Today, he was out of station, so he could not be a part of the meeting. The meeting was called at very short notice, and our chairman of the selection committee, Ajit, was not in town. So he could not join the meeting, and he was in an area where he could not join online either, despite our best efforts,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia remarked.

A few days ago the chairman of selectors himself held an online selection committee meeting to pick the T20I squad for the three-match series against Afghanistan. On Thursday, however, he could not even be connected online.

“Today, we did not have any selection meeting. There was no such discussion in today’s meeting,” the BCCI secretary said. Despite the BCCI secretary’s categorical assertion, social media exploded with speculation over Agarkar’s future. Some social media handles even claimed that he was on his way out.

When the BCCI secretary says something with absolute clarity, it would be inappropriate to draw a different conclusion. Yet Agarkar’s absence continues to cause curiosity. Questions about his position have been raised particularly since the Rohit Sharma episode, when the selectors reportedly told the former captain to retire, only for the BCCI to intervene.

Currently, he is said to be overseas, but many sources insist that no changes are expected to the selection committee and that Agarkar will complete his term, which ends next July. He could even be given an extension until the World Cup in October-November 2027, although that could not be independently verified.

“I do not want to give any fodder to the speculators,” Saikia said.

He is expected to show up for the Duleep Trophy final, starting September 6. It is being said that he will be in Chennai for the five-day red-ball game, along with a couple of his colleagues. Two other selectors are expected to be deputed to Delhi for the T20I series against Afghanistan.

Agarkar was hard to miss during the just-concluded Test series in Sri Lanka. The cameras captured him repeatedly during the two Tests. On Thursday also he was hard to miss, although the cameras could not capture him.

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