Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh frontrunners to become India's national selectors

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is preparing to revamp its senior men’s selection panel, and two former Indian cricketers, Pragyan Ojha and Rudra Pratap Singh, have come out as the frontrunners to take up the role of national selectors. With two vacancies created following the completion of the terms of Subroto Banerjee (Central Zone) and S. Sharath (South Zone), the board had recently invited applications.

The BCCI had advertised for two selector positions last month, receiving a mixed response from ex-cricketers. Among those who applied were former India pacer Praveen Kumar, former Uttar Pradesh bowler Ashish Winston Zaidi, and Himachal Pradesh’s Shakti Singh. However, reports suggest that Ojha and RP Singh have the strongest qualifications to step into the roles.

The board put out clear eligibility rules for the posts, and applicants must have played at least seven Tests, or 30 first-class matches, or 10 ODIs and 20 first-class matches. Additionally, they should have retired from competitive cricket at least five years ago and must not have served on a BCCI committee for more than five years cumulatively.

Left-arm pacer RP Singh, who was part of India’s historic 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad under MS Dhoni, represented India in 14 Tests, 58 ODIs, and 10 T20Is. On the other hand, Pragyan Ojha featured in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs, and 6 T20Is. He picked up 113 Test wickets, including seven five-wicket hauls. Ojha retired from international cricket in 2020 and has since been active as a commentator.

As per procedure, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjpe, and Sulakshna Naik will shortlist and interview candidates before forwarding recommendations to the BCCI office-bearers. The final decision is likely to be approved during the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) next month.

While the men’s senior selection panel is expected to see only limited changes, with Ojha and Singh filling the two vacant posts, the women’s selection committee, headed by Neetu David, is set for a complete overhaul. The terms of the existing women’s selectors end this month, and the BCCI has already called for new applications.