Former India spinner Ramesh Powar has emerged as the frontrunner to fill the vacant West Zone seat on the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) senior men’s selection committee. Meanwhile, Pragyan Ojha, who has been heading the panel on an interim basis since Ajit Agarkar’s departure, is set to become the permanent chairman.
A report by Cricbuzz states that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) favoured Powar after interviewing several candidates for the role. The BCCI has not yet issued an official confirmation.
Agarkar’s three‑year tenure ended on October 4, prompting the BCCI to invite applications for his replacement. The deadline passed on October 14, and the CAC conducted interviews on October 15.
Among the candidates considered were former India opener Wasim Jaffer, former Baroda cricketers Connor Williams and Jacob Martin, and Mumbai’s Salil Ankola. Powar, initially linked with the junior selection panel, is now tipped for the senior role. He brings two Test caps and 31 One‑Day Internationals of playing experience, plus two stints coaching India’s senior women’s team and extensive domestic cricket exposure.
Ojha’s interim leadership is expected to become permanent, though an official announcement is pending. The existing senior panel also comprises Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra and R P Singh.
VVS Laxman Could Continue Attending Selection Meetings
In a related development, BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) head VVS Laxman may keep attending selection meetings. His involvement is intended to help selectors evaluate players’ fitness, rehabilitation progress and availability.
Meanwhile, discussions continue over the junior selection committee’s composition, with former India pacer Dodda Ganesh among the names linked to a possible leadership role. Final appointments and the overall committee structure will be clarified once the BCCI makes its decisions official.
