Kris Srikkanth, former India captain, has made a huge statement regarding the Chairman of the Senior Men's Selection Committee ahead of the 2027 ICC World Cup. This comes after Ajit Agarkar’s tenure will end on October 4, and he has reportedly not sought an extension to his tenure.
Srikkanth praised Agarkar for his efforts as chief of the BCCI selection panel, appreciating the work of the entire committee involved in selecting the Indian teams.
Though Srikkanth was not sure if Agarkar was going to continue, he made a sarcastic statement, saying that he was ready to take up the responsibility; and the present coach of India, Gautam Gambhir, would run away if that happens.
"Ajit, as a chairman, has done a very good job. Ajit Agarkar and the selection committee team have done a reasonably good job. I give them the credit. They should have won the 2023 World Cup. Poor guys came up to the final. They lost the final. I don't know why he wants to give up the chairmanship. That's his choice. I am available for the chairmanship if they call me. I am there. Do you want to win the 2027 World Cup? Come to me. If I become the chairman, Gambhir will run away. He will shoot me," Srikkanth said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth served as India's chief national selector from September 2008 to 2012. The biggest achievement during his tenure was the famous 2011 World Cup victory.
Srikkanth also talked about the role of the chief of the BCCI selection committee and called it a 'thankless' job. He says that anyone in this post will be criticised more often than not for his choice of picking and leaving cricketers.
"Being a chairman or a selector is a thankless job. No matter what you do, people will talk. We have criticised our channel many times. We have been praised as well. That's the nature of the job. In the last few months, from whatever we read in the press reports and the media reports, there has been a lot of friction between Ajit Agarkar and XYZ. I don't know who that XYZ is," Srikkanth said.
BCCI will need to appoint a new chief selector once Ajit Agarkar’s tenure ends on October 4. During Agarkar’s tenure, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy, and the 2026 T20 World Cup.
