Meet Ajit Agarkar, BCCI’s New Chief Selector And India Pacer Who Created An Unwanted Record In 2000

Former India fast bowler Ajit Agarkar will replace Chetan Sharma as the chairman of men's senior team selection committee.

Source: Twitter

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have finally announced the appointment of a new chairman of men’s senior team selection committee with former India pacer Ajit Agarkar replacing Chetan Sharma at the helm. The post was lying vacant for more than six months since Chetan Sharma’s resignation from the post after a sting operation by Zee News Channel.

Agarkar, who was the assistant coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) till the IPL 2023 season, stepped down from this position to remove any conflict of interest. He will be the fifth member on the selection panel which includes Shiv Sunder Das, Salil Ankola, Subroto Banerjee and S Sharath. The first agenda on his place will be selection of the Team India squad for the five T20I matches against West Indies beginning on August 3.

_ NEWS _: Ajit Agarkar appointed Chairman of Senior Men's Selection Committee.

Details _https://t.co/paprb6eyJC — BCCI (@BCCI) July 4, 2023

Who is Ajit Agarkar?

The former India pacer made his debut for Mumbai back in 1996-97 against Saurashtra. Agarkar made an immediate impact after making his Team India debut against Australia in an ODI back in 1998.

The lanky pacer became the fastest bowler to claim 50 wickets in ODIs, breaking the record set by Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis. Overall Agarkar turned out for India in 26 Tests, 191 ODIs and 4 T20I matches. He ended up with 288 ODI wickets and 58 scalps in Tests.

Unwanted record of ducks in Tests

Agarkar made his Test debut against Zimbabwe later in the 1998 season. But had a nightmare tour of Australia with the bat back in 1999-2000 season. Agarkar scored seven consecutive ducks in the three Test matches on that tour of Australia as Team India lost the series 3-0 under the captaincy of Sachin Tendulkar.

The pacer redeemed himself on the next tour of Australia, claiming career-best Test figures of 6/41 in the famous Adelaide Test of 2003-04 season under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly which featured a match-winning double hundred by current Team India coach Rahul Dravid.

He also went on to claim 6/42 in an ODI against Australia on the same tour. Agarkar retired from international cricket after winning the 2007 T20 World Cup under MS Dhoni.

Agarkar captained Mumbai in the 2012-13 season, leading them to their 40th Ranji Trophy title, and announced his retirement from all cricket before the start of the following domestic season. He also served as chief selector of the Mumbai cricket team.

Agarkar married a Muslim girl Fatima

Ajit Agarkar married a Muslim girl Fatima Ghadially back in 2002. They met through Fatima’s brother, Mazhar Ghadially, who was a cricketer on the Mumbai domestic circuit.

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A post shared by Fatema Agarkar (@fatemaagarkar)

Agarkar got married to Fatima in a private ceremony in 2002 without the approval of their parents. Only close friends were invited to their wedding but the former India pacer hosted a reception on February 9, 2002, in which most of the Team India cricketers were also invited. The couple have one son together named Raj.