Industry Odisha Bureau, Sept 30: Former Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha is likely to become India’s next chief selector. This major change comes after Ajit Agarkar’s departure, official reports cited. Currently, Ojha serves as the interim head of the four member panel.
Ojha was part of a meeting with India head coach Gautam Gambhir in Guwahati on Tuesday. Other selectors, Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra and RP Singh also attended the discussion.
The meeting was held at the Barsapara Stadium during the West Indies’ training session. The Indian team had a day off after travelling from Thiruvananthapuram to Guwahati.
The selection committee’s meeting with Gambhir came as India prepares for a rather busy New Zealand tour. The selectors are expected to finalise squads for the senior teams as well as the India A side,
Notably, India’s tour will begin with five T20Is from October 22. This will be followed by five ODIs starting November 4. The two-Test series will begin on November 19, with the final ODI scheduled for November 15 in Tauranga, four days before the first Test in Wellington.
The tight schedule could require the selectors and team management to carefully manage player availability and workload. Players selected for both the ODI and Test squads could be released early from the ODI setup to prepare for the Test series.
The New Zealand tour will also contribute to India’s preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup. Meanwhile, the India A side is scheduled to play three Tests between October 24 and November 10.
