The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is gearing up for a major reshuffle in its national selection committee, and the South Zone and Central Zone representatives will be hit by the upcoming changes.
With Ajit Agarkar at the helm as the All-India Selection Committee chief, fresh names are expected to join the panel before the next season begins.
Big changes set in the BCCI Selection Committee
As reported by Cricblogger, S. Sarath of the South Zone is set to move back to the junior selection committee. His departure will vacate a position in the BCCI selection committee.
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Former India spinner and IPL winner Pragyan Ojha has emerged as a strong contender to replace Sarath from the South Zone, while former Indian pacer Tinu Yohannan is also in the race.
On the other hand, Subrata Banerjee of the Central Zone is also likely to lose his selector’s chair in the coming weeks. Former India batter Amay Khurasia, who represented Madhya Pradesh and later made a mark in cricket administration and coaching, is seen as one of the frontrunners for this role.
Interestingly, the former Indian fast bowler and commentator RP Singh was also considered for the role, but he declined the offer, as he is already part of the Cricket Advisory Committee that selects the Indian selectors for the Indian cricket team across all levels.
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BCCI plans big pay hike to lure top cricketers into selection panel
Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India is also working on a significant pay hike for the Indian selectors. Currently, Ajit Agarkar earns an annual package of ₹3 crore, while the other four selectors take home only ₹90 lakh each.
A Cricblogger report revealed that the BCCI is now considering raising the selectors’ salaries to around ₹1.5 crore–₹1.75 crore to reduce the wide gap between the chief selector and his colleagues.
The Indian cricket board wants to make the role more attractive and competitive, as well as attract the top-quality former cricketers for the selector’s job. The board wants them to be fully committed to the demanding task of talent scouting and team selection.
With lucrative opportunities in coaching and commentary often pulling players away, the BCCI is betting big on better pay to hire the best minds for a better future of Indian cricket. This proposal is expected to be discussed in the upcoming meetings, and an official announcement on the hike could be made before the new international season kicks off.
Meanwhile, the BCCI is also looking for a fresh sponsorship after Dream11’s exit as lead sponsor following the passage of the Online Gaming Bill. The timing has left the board scrambling, with the Asia Cup 2025 looming and national team jerseys still awaiting a new logo.
It is being said that the board has set a fresh target of a ₹450 crore deal covering 140 matches between 2025 and 2028. The package included home and away matches, plus ICC and ACC events. Indian board has pegged ₹3.5 crore per bilateral and ₹1.5 crore for global fixtures.
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