The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a new-look senior men’s selection committee, with Pragyan Ojha taking charge as chairperson. The five-member panel will play a crucial role in shaping India’s squads across formats, identifying emerging talent and making important decisions ahead of upcoming international assignments.

Who is Pragyan Ojha, India’s new chief selector?

Pragyan Ojha is a former Indian left-arm spinner who represented the country across all three international formats. He played 24 Tests, 18 One-Day Internationals and six T20 Internationals between 2008 and 2013.

Ojha enjoyed several memorable moments during his international career, particularly in Test cricket, where his ability to extract turn and trouble batters made him an important part of India’s bowling attack. He was also part of the Indian Premier League (IPL), representing franchises including Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians (MI).

His appointment puts him in a key position to assess talent and help determine India’s cricketing direction. As chairperson, he will work alongside the other selectors to evaluate domestic performances, international form, fitness and team combinations.

The committee’s decisions will be particularly significant as India continues to manage transitions across formats while preparing for major international tournaments.

Ramesh Powar joins the selection committee

Ramesh Powar is the latest addition to the panel. The former India off-spinner represented the country in two Tests and 31 ODIs during his playing career.

After retiring from international cricket, Powar moved into coaching and held several important roles. He served as head coach of the Indian women’s team and also worked with Mumbai and Gujarat teams. In addition, he served as a bowling coach at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

His experience in coaching and player development could prove valuable when the selectors assess domestic performers and potential additions to India’s international squads.

The BCCI also acknowledged Agarkar’s contribution during his tenure. Under the previous committee, Indian cricket experienced considerable success across major international competitions, making the transition an important moment for the selection setup.

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Shiv Sundar Das, RP Singh and Ajay Ratra complete the panel

The other three members bring their own international playing experience to the selection committee.

Shiv Sundar Das is a former India opening batter who represented the country in Test and ODI cricket. His experience as a top-order batter offers a useful perspective when evaluating batting talent and players’ readiness for international cricket.

RP Singh is a former India left-arm fast bowler who played a significant role in the country’s success in limited-overs cricket. He was part of India’s victorious campaign at the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2007 and also featured in the 2011 ODI World Cup-winning squad.

Ajay Ratra, a former wicketkeeper-batter, represented India in Test and ODI cricket. His background behind the stumps gives the panel experience in assessing wicketkeepers and the demands of the role across formats.

Together, the five selectors will be responsible for identifying the right balance between experienced international players and promising domestic performers.

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