Cricket
oi-Gaurav Sharma
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed former India spinner Pragyan Ojha as the chairman of the men’s national selection committee while former cricketer Ramesh Powar has been roped in as a new member.
As per the official statement released by the BCCI on X, Ojha will serve on a rotational basis as per the cut-off of the most number of Test matches.
The BCCI appointed former India spinner Pragyan Ojha as chairman and ex-cricketer Ramesh Powar as a member of the men’s national selection committee, following Cricket Advisory Committee recommendations and thanking outgoing chairman Ajit Agarkar.
🚨 Announcement 🚨Mr Ramesh Powar @imrameshpowar appointed to Men’s Selection Committee.Based on seniority (most Tests), Mr Pragyan Ojha @pragyanojha will chair the Committee.BCCI appreciates Mr Ajit Agarkar @imAagarkar for his commitment, conviction and contribution during his tenure as Chairman of the Committee.Details ▶️ https://t.co/z0jcyPWkr0 #TeamIndia
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 19, 2026
The recommendations were made by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising of Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjape who met and interacted with several candidates shortlisted for the post before finalizing the picks.
In the official statement, the BCCI also thanked the outgoing chairman Ajit Agarkar for his “willingness and contribution” during his tenure in the committee.
Ramesh Powar Has Extensive Coaching Experience
The new entrant to the selection committee Ramesh Powar has had an extensive cricketing career as a player and a coach.
He was a part of two Test matches and 31 ODIs for the Indian men’s team. Apart from being the head coach of the Indian women’s cricket team, Powar has also coached Mumbai, Gujarat, and the BCCI Centre of Excellence as a bowling coach.
During his stint as the head coach of the women’s cricket team, he was a part of the squad that won the Asia Cup and finished at the second position at the Commonwealth Games.
With his wide-ranging experience in coaching both the senior men’s and women’s teams as well as the domestic circuit, Powar is likely to contribute significantly to the selection committee.
India Men’s National Selection Committee
Post the announcement, the board of control for cricket in India’s men’s national selection committee consists of the following members:
- Pragyan Ojha – Chairman
- Shiv Sunder Das – Member
- RP Singh – Member
- Ajay Ratra – Member
- Ramesh Powar – Member
India Set to Tour New Zealand
In the meantime, the Indian men’s cricket team is set to tour New Zealand for a multi-format series that will see the teams play five T20 Internationals, five One-Day Internationals, and two Test matches.
