# Pragyan Ojha named interim chief selector after Agarkar exit

2026-09-29T19:38:56+00:00 | Sports | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 2 independent outlets

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha has been named interim chairman of the national selection committee after Ajit Agarkar's departure. Ojha, who played 24 Tests, now heads the four-member panel and is in line to become the permanent chief selector. He joins Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra and RP Singh on the committee. Head coach Gautam Gambhir held a lengthy discussion with all four selectors in Guwahati before the second ODI against the West Indies. The meeting covered squad selection for India's upcoming tour of New Zealand from October 22 to November 27, including three India A Tests, T20Is, ODIs and the Test series. The first Test starts in Wellington on November 19. The selectors must finalise squads for the New Zealand tour, with some Test players who are also in the ODI squad likely to be released early for training. Agarkar was not present at the meeting with Gambhir.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three reports confirm Pragyan Ojha has taken over as interim selection committee head after Ajit Agarkar's exit. The coverage is uniform straight reporting from wire-style material, with no editorial framing differences between the outlets. Both emphasise the procedural shift and the upcoming New Zealand tour selection task. The key implication is that the board moved quickly to name an interim chief despite Agarkar's departure being unceremonious. What matters next is whether the BCCI confirms Ojha as permanent chairman before the squad deadline for the India A Tests and the New Zealand series, due around mid-October.

## Coverage

- sports.ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/new-era-begins-pragyan-ojha-leads-selection-panel-as-india-eye-new-zealand-challenge-12116552>
  Neutral report repeating same facts as source 1
- sportstar.thehindu.com (neutral report) <https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/pragyan-ojha-interim-chairman-selection-committee-ajit-agarkar/article71525539.ece>
  Straight news wire with additional detail on Gambhir meeting
- sports.ndtv.com (neutral report) <https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/new-era-begins-pragyan-ojha-leads-selection-panel-as-india-eye-new-zealand-challenge-12116552#publisher=newsstand>
  Neutral report repeating same facts as source 1

Tags: Ajit Agarkar, BCCI, Gautam Gambhir, New Zealand, Pragyan Ojha
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