Ajit Agarkar's tenure as BCCI chief selector ended on 4th October this year.
Former Indian cricketers Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjpe, who are members of the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), asked the applicants an intriguing series of forward-thinking questions, including the circumstances surrounding former captain Rohit Sharma.
Reports indicate that Agarkar requested an extension from the BCCI, but they denied his request due to his views on Rohit's future with the team. He did not want the 39-year-old to play in the ODI World Cup, which is set to take place in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia next year.
As per the Hindustan Times, CAC members sought the applicants' views on three major points.
The first was the future of Rohit Sharma in ODI cricket. Yashasvi Jaiswal, the backup opener, was left out of India's squad for the five-game rubber match against New Zealand, reflecting the selectors' updated assessment of Rohit.
The applicants were also asked about teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi being benched for an extended period of time. Sooryavanshi, the Player of the Series in the Zimbabwe T20Is, has been benched for the Afghanistan T20Is and the ongoing West Indies series, with his only appearance for India in the Asian Games 2026.
Since making his debut for India earlier this year, Sooryavanshi has featured in three of the 14 T20Is head coach Gautam Gambhir has overseen.
The BCCI selector aspirants were also asked about who should replace Shubman Gill if the India ODI and Test captains become unavailable for a long time.
The Indian team's leadership structure hasn't been stable lately; after one or two series, the BCCI demoted several players despite choosing them as vice-captains. Although the selection process was extensive, the report said the BCCI had essentially decided on its preferred option.
Currently, Pragyan Ojha is the interim head of the selection committee. Ramesh Powar and Salil Ankola are reportedly leading the race to get the job, despite Wasim Jaffer's late entry into the mix.