The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday announced the leadership of its new men's senior selection committee, appointing former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha as chairperson and inducting former India off-spinner Ramesh Powar as the panel's newest member. The announcement was conveyed through a media advisory issued by BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, putting an end to the interim arrangement that had been in place at the top of the selection structure.
Ojha, who had been discharging the duties of a selector on an interim basis, was confirmed as the full-time chairperson of the committee. According to the Board's statement, the choice was made on the basis of seniority determined by the number of Tests played. Ojha played 24 Tests for India, the highest tally among the five members of the panel, and it was this record that tilted the decision in his favour under the Board's established convention.
The committee, in its new shape, comprises Ojha as chairperson together with Shiv Sundar Das, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra and Ramesh Powar. The five members will collectively shoulder the responsibility of selecting India's men's teams across formats — the Test, one-day international and T20 sides — drawing on the vast pool of players competing in domestic and franchise cricket for places in the national set-up.
Ojha's elevation marks the formal start of a new chapter for the selection panel, which had been operating without a permanent chairman since the tenure of Ajit Agarkar came to an end on 4 October 2026. Agarkar had been appointed to the position in July 2023, and the BCCI's statement recorded its appreciation for his time in the role, thanking him for what the Board described as his commitment, conviction and contribution to Indian cricket.
The Board's announcement took note of the achievements registered by the national side during Agarkar's tenure. Under his chairmanship, the statement said, India won three ICC trophies, two Asia Cup titles and back-to-back gold medals at the Asian Games — a return that places his period at the helm among the most successful in the recent history of the Indian men's team.
The second major development of the day was the induction of Ramesh Powar onto the panel. The 48-year-old former off-spinner was unanimously recommended for the post by the Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjape, following a process of screening and interviews conducted at the BCCI headquarters.
Powar was chosen from a competitive shortlist of contenders. Former India opener Wasim Jaffer, along with Salil Ankola, Jacob Martin and Connor Williams, were among those considered for the vacancy, but the advisory committee arrived at a unanimous decision in Powar's favour after the interview process.
The timeline of the appointment reflects a compact and orderly process. The application window for the selector's position closed on 14 October 2026, the Cricket Advisory Committee conducted its interviews on 15 October, and the final decision was communicated through the Board's advisory on 19 October — less than a week from the close of applications to the announcement.
As a player, Powar represented India in 2 Tests and 31 one-day internationals between 2004 and 2007. An off-spinner by trade, he featured in the national side across formats during a period of transition for Indian cricket, and his experience of international cricket forms the playing foundation of his credentials.
It is in coaching, however, that Powar has built the most substantial part of his career. He served two separate stints as the head coach of the India women's team, and his time in charge included two landmark achievements — an Asia Cup title and a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games — results that remain among the most celebrated of his coaching career.
In the domestic men's game, Powar's record is equally noteworthy. He was the head coach of Mumbai when the side lifted the Vijay Hazare Trophy, one of the most prestigious titles in Indian domestic one-day cricket. For the last two seasons, he served as the head coach of Gujarat's senior men's team, a position he stepped down from recently before accepting the selector's role with the BCCI.
His association with the Board's player-development structure includes a stint as spin-bowling coach at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, the Board's flagship facility for nurturing emerging talent. Most recently, Powar worked as a consultant coach with the Australia Under-19 team during their ODI series against India, an assignment that added an international age-group dimension to his coaching portfolio.
The composition of the new panel means the selection committee now draws on a blend of playing and coaching experience. Ojha brings the weight of 24 Test appearances to the chairmanship, while the inclusion of a coach of Powar's breadth — spanning the women's national team, domestic heavyweights and age-group international cricket — gives the committee a perspective rooted in player development as much as in performance at the top level.
The practice of determining the chairmanship on the basis of Tests played is a long-standing convention in Indian cricket administration. It ensures that the person guiding the committee's deliberations is the one with the deepest experience of Test cricket among its members, a consideration that carries particular weight given the demands of selecting for the longest format.
The unanimous nature of the Cricket Advisory Committee's recommendation for Powar is itself significant. A unanimous verdict from the two-member panel of Malhotra and Paranjape signals a clear consensus on his suitability for the role, removing any question of division within the advisory body over the choice.
With the committee now fully constituted, its members will turn their attention to the central task before them — identifying, assessing and backing the players who will represent India across formats. The workload of a national selection committee is considerable, spanning squad selection, succession planning and the continuous monitoring of form and fitness across the domestic circuit.
The announcement closes a period of transition at the top of the selection structure. From the interim arrangement under Ojha to the formal confirmation of the full panel, the Board has now put in place the team that will shape India's squads in the period ahead, with the chairmanship settled and the fifth member's seat filled.
For the players and the followers of Indian cricket, the new committee represents both continuity and change — continuity in the form of an experienced panel drawn from the game's recent past, and change in the leadership and composition that will now guide the selection of the national sides.
(Reporting based on The Hindu, NDTV Sports and Business Standard.)