BCCI set to discuss contract renewal with Agarkar

Ajit Agarkar’s fate as chief selector is set to be decided over the next two days, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hierarchy and the former fast bowler expected to sit down for discussions over his impending contract renewal.

The Hindu understands that Agarkar and the BCCI office-bearers will hold a round of discussion to chart out a roadmap for his extension. A BCCI functionary, speaking on condition of anonymity, said both parties were “positively looking at extension” and hoped that “a few teething issues” could be sorted out at the earliest.

Agarkar’s tenure is scheduled to end this month, although he is eligible to continue for another year under the BCCI regulations. It is believed that the BCCI office-bearers and the selection committee have been involved in a cold war over the last couple of months. Agarkar’s absence from the BCCI’s performance review meeting on September 3 had further fuelled speculation over his future.

Clarity over Agarkar’s tenure has assumed significance with the selection committee likely to pick India’s squad for the ODI series against the West Indies, starting in Thiruvananthapuram on September 27, on Wednesday. The selectors will also have to finalise the squad for the all-format tour of New Zealand, beginning October 22, before the end of the month.

As the West Indies ODI series overlaps with the Asian Games, the selectors will be forced to look at several fringe players. The likes of Ruturaj Gaikwad and others currently part of the India-A squad for the one-dayers against Australia-A are set to get a rare opportunity to don India colours.