Rohit Sharma's Selection Row, Dispute With VVS Laxman: Report Reveals Reasons Behind Ajit Agarkar's Imminent Exit
The relation between Ajit Agarkar and the current BCCI regime turned frosty mainly due to couple of reasons.
- Rohit Sharma's future reportedly became a power struggle that accelerated Ajit Agarkar's exit
- Differences with VVS Laxman over player management and scheduling had also reached a point of no return
- When Agarkar missed the all-important review meeting, many within the BCCI viewed it as the final straw
The drama surrounding the future of former skipper Rohit Sharma and the ever growing differences with Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman became the main reasons for chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and the BCCI to part ways ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. Perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back was Agarkar not even remotely joining the all important review meeting in Mumbai to discuss the England series debacle and the road ahead. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia defended him but at one level, many in the board thought that Agarkar should have attended such an important meeting.
While he wasn't averse to continuing till end of ODI World Cup in South Africa, the BCCI over the last month dropped enough hints that they would be looking at a fresh face.
Normally, the BCCI, wouldn't like to let go of someone whose panel picked squads that reached four ICC white ball tournament finals in last three years, winning three trophies (two T20 WC title and one CT).
But then relation between Agarkar and the current BCCI regime turned frosty mainly due to couple of reasons.
BCCI statement on Rohit's future
It was just before the white ball series against England when the selection committee headed by now former chairman Ajit Agarkar in consonance with Indian team management and the key decision makers in the BCCI decided to move on from veteran opener Rohit Sharma after the Lord's ODI.
Accordingly a collective decision was taken and South Zone selector Pragyan Ojha, who happens to be one of Rohit's closest friends, was asked to "communicate" the decision to the two-time ICC Trophy winning former skipper.
Rohit, who wants to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, wasn't exactly happy when the message was conveyed. He spoke to a very powerful administrator and expressed his misgivings about how he was being treated by the chairman of selectors.
Those who know Agarkar confirmed that when BCCI officially "issued" a statement backing Rohit and dismissing talks of his retirement post Lord's, he was left slighted and angry.
"That was perhaps the day when Ajit knew that it would be very difficult for him to continue. In fact, he had no inkling that a media statement was issued by the BCCI. He understood that going forward, the call on big names won't be his prerogative," a senior BCCI official privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Those who know Agarkar closely would vouch that when it comes to cricketing decisions, just like head coach Gautam Gambhir, it comes from a place of honesty even though some work and some don't.
The BCCI wanted him to go slow on Rohit's future while he felt that if Yashasvi Jaiswal had to play the ODI World Cup, he has to be given around 20 ODIs to settle down.
The argument in favour of Rohit was that he was scoring in every third ODI which cannot be considered bad while for Agarkar, he perhaps felt that there are no guarantees that the ageing 'Hit-Man' would be effective in the Rainbow Nation.
The fact that Agarkar possibly could never accept was that when it comes to megastars in Indian cricket -- retirement or continuation, hardly ever has that been a call of selection committee. It has and will always remain an administrative call -- give it or take it.
VVS Laxman and Centre of Excellence
VVS Laxman and Agarkar had been India teammates for quite a number of years but one can safely say that there has been serious difference of opinion between them when it came to policy decision on injured players as well as the scheduling of India A games.
"If you think that VVS Laxman's urge to win at all costs is anything less than say a Virat Kohli or a Sourav Ganguly, then you are mistaken. Whatever be the competition, Laxman always wanted the best eleven to play," a former state team coach who has seen Laxman operate from close quarters at the COE, said.
Agarkar, who also had selected the Indian men's squad for the Hangzhou Asian Games, found it difficult to fathom why India needed to play its first team at the Asian Games where cricket is basically a tier-2 type event.
In Hangzhou, it was Ruturaj Gaikwad who had led the side as the first team was busy with ODI World Cup. This time, Shubman Gill is going into a ODI series without Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, at least four of them being first team players.
The clash of two India A Tests in Puducherry (between September 22 and October 2) with Irani Cup in Srinagar (October 1-5) and overlapping of India A's three 'Tests' against New Zealand A (between October 24 and November 10) with T20Is and ODI series, also became a point of difference between the duo.
It must be noted that India A scheduling is handled by the head of COE (at one point Rahul Dravid handled it) along with members of the cricket operations team.
No specific timelines were provided for the centrally contracted injured players and that also became a topic of debate. Interestingly, Laxman was also miffed that COE got a lot of flak for reasons which weren't exactly under his control. A mutual mistrust had also grown after an elaborate injury list of the top players was published in the media.
By the time Agarkar decided to skip the review meeting, things had already gone out of hand and his exit became a mere formality.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
India Cricket Team
Rohit Sharma