Ajit Agarkar reportedly opposed Jasprit Bumrah for India captaincy

Ajit Agarkar, the outgoing chairman of the senior Indian men’s selection committee, reportedly faced several disagreements with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during his tenure. One notable instance occurred in July 2023 regarding the captaincy for a two-match T20I series against Ireland.

Agarkar advocated for Ruturaj Gaikwad to lead the side, aiming to prepare the batter for future leadership roles following his success at the Asian Games and to manage the workload of Jasprit Bumrah, who was returning from injury. However, the BCCI overruled this preference, appointing Bumrah as captain after the board noted the pacer's eagerness to lead. India subsequently won the series 2-0.

Agarkar’s decision to step down follows his refusal to accept a contract extension from the BCCI. His tenure was characterized by attempts to maintain selection independence despite various instances of board intervention, including disagreements regarding the public support for Rohit Sharma’s captaincy.