Ajit Agarkar Stood Against Gautam Gambhir, His 'Bold Decisions' Transformed India: Report

[sage]

https://sports.ndtv.com/t20-world-cup-2026/ajit-agarkar-even-stood-against-gautam-gambhir-his-bold-decisions-transformed-indian-team-report-11198076

 

Ajit Agarkar, as BCCI selection chief, made bold decisions, including Shubman Gill's omission and Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, crucial for India's T20 World Cup 2026 success.

Yet, while Gambhir stood in the spotlight, it was the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar who did the hard work behind the scenes, taking tough calls that few selectors in the past dared to make.

Shubman Gill's Exclusion, Suryakumar Yadav's Elevation

Shubman Gill, who had been named India's T20I vice-captain, was left out of the World Cup squad as selectors opted for Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh. According to a report in the Indian Express, the Gautam Gambhir-led team management wanted Gill included, but Agarkar stood firm and said no. 

"Your opinion could differ from mine," he told the management. "We still think he's a quality player. Someone has to miss out, and it's him - not because he isn't good enough. Fortunately, Indian cricket has options."

Similarly, when Rohit Sharma stepped away from T20Is and a new captain had to be named, Hardik Pandya was seen as the natural successor. Agarkar, however, argued strongly for Suryakumar Yadav. Initially unconvinced, his fellow selectors - Subrato Banerjee, S Sharath, Salil Ankola, and SS Das - eventually came on board after Agarkar explained his reasoning.

"One of the main issues discussed was that you want a captain who is likely to play all the games," he said. "We think he is a deserving candidate."

Ishan Kishan's Debatable Return

Agarkar also showed pragmatism when Ishan Kishan's return was debated, despite his past controversies - withdrawal from the South Africa series, exclusion from central contracts, and domestic cricket drama.

"He bats at the top in white-ball cricket. He has been in good form. He has played before for India," Agarkar explained. "He wasn't in the team because Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel were ahead of him - two very good players. Nothing else."

From reinstating press conferences after major selection decisions to pushing players back into domestic cricket, Agarkar deserves credit for bold reforms as chief selector. Even Gambhir acknowledged his role, dedicating the World Cup win to him:

"I think I should dedicate this trophy to Ajit Agarkar, because he does take a lot of flak, and I'm thankful for the honesty he has worked with."

As Team India continues its climb up the success ladder, hindsight makes it clear: Ajit Agarkar's decisions were instrumental in shaping the country's new era of cricketing dominance.

 

 

[sage]

https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/ajit-agarkar-india-cricket-unpopular-calls-t20-world-cup-10575280/

 

How Ajit Agarkar changed Indian cricket — one unpopular call at a time

Dropped Gill against the team management's wishes. Pushed Suryakumar over Pandya in a divided house. Recalled Ishan despite history. Moved past Rohit and Kohli in Tests. The chief selector nobody talks about built the team everyone is celebrating.

 

The night before India announced their T20 World Cup squad, everything pointed to no surprises. This team had thrived on continuity. The squad would reflect that.

Then, in the selection meeting in Mumbai, chief selector Ajit Agarkar put a question on the table that nobody saw coming. It was about Shubman Gill.

The same committee had picked Gill out of nowhere for the Asia Cup six months earlier. That move had never quite worked — it had pushed Sanju Samson down the order, disrupted the fearlessness the team had built, introduced an anchor into a team built specifically to eliminate anchors. The decision had already invited scrutiny.

Shreyas Iyer had just finished a sensational IPL and his exclusion had seemed inexplicable to many. To reverse the Gill call meant not just logic but admission. And something else — the team management had wanted Gill. Agarkar showed them the mirror.

 

Agarkar reversed it — and explained it plainly. “Your opinion could differ from mine,” he said. “We still think he’s a quality player. Someone has to miss out, it’s him — it’s not because he’s not a good player. Fortunately in Indian cricket we have options.”

 

This wasn’t the first time he had asked a question the room wasn’t ready for.

Months earlier, Agarkar had floated an idea that surprised even his own colleagues: look beyond Hardik Pandya for the T20 captaincy. Pandya was captain-in-waiting. The succession had seemed settled.

The meeting was a divided house. Agarkar voted for Suryakumar. According to those in the know, he pulled up colleagues — Subrato Banerjee, S Sharath, Salil Ankola, SS Das — who didn’t see merit in his choice. His reasoning, when he stated it publicly, was typically direct.

“One of the main issues discussed was that you want a captain who’s likely to play all the games,” he said. “We think he is a deserving candidate.”

The room came around. Suryakumar got the captaincy. What followed is known.

* * *

Ishan Kishan’s return was the third call that required conviction over comfort.

Ishan had taken a flight from South Africa in late 2023 seeking a mental break — a decision that hadn’t sat well with the panel. He had been slow to return to domestic cricket. His reluctance to join the Test tour of England citing a minor injury hadn’t helped. But last season he went back, scored heavily, with the selectors keeping close watch. When Gill’s replacement was being discussed, Ishan wasn’t the first name on the list — Jitesh Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal were ahead of him in the queue.

Agarkar made the case and then made it public.

Also Read | Shubman Gill informed about omission by Ajit Agarkar from T20 World Cup squad after selection committee meeting

“He bats at the top in white-ball cricket. He has been in good form. He has played before for India,” he said. “He wasn’t in the Indian team because there were Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel ahead of him — two pretty good players. Nothing to do with anything else.”

Agarkar didn’t let past instances crowd out present merit. Ishan was in.

* * *

 

[Ultimate_Game]

Agree fully with Gill being kicked out but don't agree with SKY being backed without any performances. Iyer should've been the batter who should've been backed. If we bring Iyer in, we become even better as a team.

[gattaca]

lol I read another article exactly opposite. I read gambir backed Samson. Rohit and selectors got pant in champions trophy 

Edited March 12 by gattaca

[Ultimate_Game]

17 minutes ago, gattaca said:

lol I read another article exactly opposite. I read gambir backed Samson. Rohit and selectors got pant in champions trophy 

 

The old adage "Success has many fathers and failure has none". Now everybody is scrambling to take credit for these selections. The story I heard was that it was RP Singh and other selectors who vetoed Agarkar regarding Gill and pushed for Samson and Ishan's selections. I give a lot of credence to this version as it was Agarkar who brought Gill in the scheme of things in the first place and Indian team simply lacked that spark since then and reverted to 170-180 scoring team instead of 250+. Once Samson and Ishan came in they went back to the same old version showing the folly of bringing Gill in the T20 format.

[helperononline]

1 hour ago, gattaca said:

lol I read another article exactly opposite. I read gambir backed Samson. Rohit and selectors got pant in champions trophy 

Gill and Rana are Gambhir’s favourites. 

[vvvslaxman]

They can run whatever PR they run . We still remember Gambhir sent Rana before Samson in Asia cup in one of the match.  Nothing is forgotten. Also SKY's condescending comments about Sanju. 

[Number]

Paid articles have started. 

[Suhaan]

All father's and mother's have same successful brothers and sisters of all fathers

yar Maine sahi kahi

@Ultimate_Game

Edited March 12 by Suhaan

[Suhaan]

There should be one 'credit on line'match to settle this one

Main event match between Gambhir and Agarkar

Winner takes home Credit of playing Sanju

The ultimate battle for the Sanju Samson Credit is finally here. Forget the World Test Championship

the real stakes are in the dugout where Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar face off in a who called him first showdown

 

[zen]

Mrs. Agarkar wants Agarkar to get credit as well. 

[The Realist]

Agarkar and bold decisions 

 

Spends more time as a hanger-on with the team than watching or scouting any games/players.

 

If such a visionary why is the test team so crap?