Ajit Agarkar quits as BCCI chairman of selectors amid Rohit debate and rift with VVS Laxman

Ajit Agarkar resigned as chairman of selectors from the Board of Control for Cricket in India on September 19, 2026, citing disputes over Rohit Sharma’s future and growing differences with Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup. The immediate trigger was his absence from a review meeting in Mumbai convened to discuss the England series and the way forward, a decision that drew criticism within the board even as BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia publicly defended him.

The BCCI had dropped signals over the previous month that it might opt for a new face at the selection helm, despite Agarkar’s panel having picked squads that reached four ICC white-ball tournament finals in the last three years and won three trophies — two T20 World Cups and one Champions Trophy. Agarkar had indicated he was not averse to remaining through the ODI World Cup in South Africa, but relations with the current BCCI regime had soured over several policy disputes.

Tensions escalated around the handling of Rohit Sharma’s future. Ahead of the white-ball series against England, the selection committee, in agreement with the Indian team management and key BCCI decision-makers, decided to move on from Rohit after the Lord’s ODI; South Zone selector Pragyan Ojha was tasked with conveying that decision. Rohit, who wants to play the 2027 ODI World Cup, reacted angrily after receiving the message, spoke to a powerful administrator and raised concerns about how he was treated by the chairman of selectors. Those close to Agarkar said he felt injured when the BCCI issued a media statement backing Rohit and rejecting retirement talk, leaving him “slighted and angry.” As one senior BCCI official privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity, "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."

On cricketing policy, Agarkar differed with the board’s direction. The BCCI urged a cautious approach on Rohit’s future; Agarkar argued that if Yashasvi Jaiswal was to be readied for the ODI World Cup he would need roughly 20 ODIs to settle, and he questioned long-term guarantees on the ageing "Hit-Man"’s effectiveness in South Africa. Sources close to Agarkar compared his selection philosophy to that of head coach Gautam Gambhir, saying his decisions came from honesty even if outcomes varied.

A separate strand of friction concerned VVS Laxman at the Centre of Excellence. Agarkar and Laxman reportedly clashed over policies for injured players and the scheduling of India A matches. A former state team coach who has observed Laxman at the COE said, "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." Agarkar, who had named the Indian men's squad for the Hangzhou Asian Games, questioned deploying a first-team at a tournament the article described as "basically a tier-2 type event;" in Hangzhou Ruturaj Gaikwad led the side while the first team was occupied with the ODI World Cup.

Scheduling conflicts intensified the disagreement. India A were due to play two Tests in Puducherry between September 22 and October 2, which clashed with the Irani Cup in Srinagar from October 1-5, and a three-Test India A series against New Zealand A scheduled between October 24 and November 10 overlapped with T20Is and an ODI series. The article noted that India A scheduling is handled by the head of the COE alongside the cricket operations team, and that no specific timelines had been provided for centrally contracted injured players, a point that fuelled debate.

Laxman was reportedly upset that the COE attracted criticism for issues he could not control, and mutual mistrust deepened after an extensive injury list of top players was published in the media. By the time Agarkar chose not to attend the Mumbai review meeting, those divisions had widened and his departure from the BCCI became a formality; the board had already been signalling it would consider replacing him with a fresh face ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.