Reports | Equal zonal representation in the way of Ajit Agarkar and national selector role

After a long wait and string of promises by BCCI President Sourav Ganguly, the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) — Madan Lal, RP Singh and Sulakshana Naik — was appointed last week. Their first agenda is making a tough decision to shortlist two candidates for the role of national selectors, including the chairman who will be replacing MSK Prasad. 

Following the BCCI officially announcing their decision of recruiting a new selection committee chairman, able CVs from former cricketers kept flowing in. With January 24 being the last day for applying for the role, veteran pacer Ajit Agarkar dropped in his name and is the frontrunner in the race to become chairman, as reported by TOI last week.

However, the hurdle coming in Agarkar's way - according to a report - is the fact that if he is appointed as the chairman of selectors, he’ll become the second individual from the same city (Mumbai) to be appointed in the committee that boasts equal representation from all zones. Hence, the confusion is between going for Agarkar or selecting someone else from the six central zone representatives of the BCCI that will have no participation otherwise.

"Agreed, zonal policies don’t exist. Right now, are we saying that we don’t require a single selector who has followed Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Railways over a period of time and understands that circuit? Every constitution has to protect equal representation," TOI quoted a source from the BCCI.

The CAC will be answerable should one city have two national selectors representing it.

"There’s no doubt about that. He’s played and seen a lot of cricket at all levels. But then what are we looking at here? Five players in the Indian team from Mumbai, two selectors including chairman from Mumbai, the chief coach from Mumbai. Why can’t the BCCI wait until Paranjpe’s turn is over and then hand Agarkar the responsibility? Less than a year is left for it," the source added.

Amongst other able candidates who found themselves with a fair chance were former Indian cricketers Venkatesh Prasad, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, and Nayan Mongia.