Can decisive Agarkar crack tricky India selection code?

As the new chief selector, the ex-India all-rounder will have to take quite a few crucial decisions

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

The past decade has been a peaceful ride for the selectors. A settled middle-order, ace spinners and a terrific fast bowling line-up meant that most of the players picked themselves.

Things will get challenging now though. The batting stalwarts are ageing, the pace battery needs to be recharged and the spin department needs backups. It is in this transition phase that Ajit Agarkar has taken over as the chairman of selectors.

There are selectors who prefer smooth sailing, don't like to cause a flutter with drastic calls. But given how Agarkar functioned as the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) chief selector, he is not one of them.

He makes his presence felt and will rock the boat with tough calls made with the right intent. But ultimately selectors need the backing of administrators and Agarkar didn't get that at MCA. As a result, his tenure was cut short (2017-2019). He chose to step down after a campaign was launched by a group of MCA members against the selection panel's style of functioning.

However, while he was there, his team took tough calls, even dropping experienced players like Abhishek Nayar (in 2017-18), Suryakumar Yadav (2018-19) and Dhawal Kulkarni (2018-19) for some games. Even star players had to undergo fitness tests if they returned after a break.