During his appearance at the NDTV World Summit 2025, Ajit Agarkar talked candidly about his role as a BCCI selector. From 1998 to 2007, Agarkar represented India in 26 Test matches, 191 ODIs, and four T20Is. He and the Indian squad also won the 2007 T20 World Cup.

Following his playing career, Agarkar worked as a cricket pundit before becoming the chairman of selectors for the BCCI. When asked to compare the three, Agarkar acknowledged that his playing days were the most fulfilling and that becoming a selector had been the most difficult.

"I will probably go with the easier one first. Being a commentator, and I mean no disrespect, you still work hard and spend hours on the ground. As long as you get the right words out, your job as a commentator is done, and you go home," Agarkar said at the NDTV World Summit 2025.

"Playing gives you the most satisfaction. Every time you step on the field, you know your job is on the line, your place is on the line. One thing that goes for you as a player is that the ball or bat is in your hand.  Very little margin between a win and a loss—that's on the line. The one thing that goes for you, as a player, is that at least the ball or the bat is in your hand. More often than not, if you play well or make a mistake, it dictates where you go as a player.  As a selector, once you pick a squad of 15, there is nothing else in your hand. It is challenging because of the depth of cricketers we have at the moment. A lot of the things are out of your hands. It is a demanding, hectic, high-pressure job. It is a big responsibility. Once you've been a player, you know that you're shaping careers. A decision that you make can impact a player's career in a good or a bad way. You can't please everyone. So, you try and do the best job you can as a selector," he added.

Agarkar also thought about the burdens that come with working in a career like his.

"Having so many players to pick from is a good problem to have. It improves the competition levels, and the performance levels stay high. The sport is so popular in India that there will be people who will be critical of your decisions. The fanbases have increased multiple times over the last few years," he said.

When asked if he takes note of social media trends like #JusticeForShreyasIyer, Agarkar says, "I don't. It is a no-win situation. We watch a lot of cricket through the course of the year."

Agarkar became the chief of the BCCI selection committee in June 2023, and his tenure has been extended till the end of the 2027 World Cup.

(NDTV inputs)