The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to reform its senior men’s selection panel, and two former Indian cricketers, Pragyan Ojha and Rudra Pratap Singh, have emerged as the frontrunners for the position of national selector. The board has requested applications for two vacancies caused by the completion of the terms of Subroto Banerjee (Central Zone) and S. Sharath (South Zone).
Last month, the BCCI advertised for two selector jobs, which drew a mixed response from former cricketers. Former India pacer Praveen Kumar, former Uttar Pradesh bowler Ashish Winston Zaidi, and Himachal Pradesh’s Shakti Singh all applied.
However, studies indicate that Ojha and RP Singh have the best qualifications to fill the positions.
The board established explicit eligibility criteria for the roles, requiring applicants to have played at least seven Tests, 30 first-class matches, or 10 ODIs and 20 first-class matches. Furthermore, they must have retired from competitive cricket at least five years ago and have not worked on a BCCI body for more than five years in total.
RP Singh, a left-arm bowler who was a member of MS Dhoni’s historic 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad, has played 14 Tests, 58 One-Day Internationals, and 10 Twenty20 Internationals for India. On the other hand, Pragyan Ojha played 24 Tests, 18 ODIs, and 6 T20Is. He claimed 113 Test wickets, including seven five-wicket hauls. Ojha withdrew from international cricket in 2020 and has since worked as a commentator.
As per procedure, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshna Naik will shortlist and interview candidates before forwarding recommendations to the BCCI office-bearers. The final decision is likely to be approved during the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.
While the men’s senior selection panel is expected to see only limited changes, with Ojha and Singh filling the two vacant posts, the women’s selection committee, headed by Neetu David, is set for a complete overhaul. The terms of the existing women’s selectors end this month, and the BCCI has already called for new applications.
India
