Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had stayed away from the high-level BCCI meeting, which was held at the office here in Mumbai on Thursday, September 3. The meeting, which was attended by the newly anointed Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill and his T20I counterpart Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir and CoE chief VVS Laxman, was to discuss the team's performances, injuries and plans.
Agarkar's absence from the meet was not surprising as he has been embroiled in controversies regarding the selection committee in the last few days, but the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has now revealed the reason for the chief selector's absence from the crucial meeting.
Devajit Saikia Explains Why Ajit Agarkar Missed Meeting
According to Saikia, Agarkar was out of station when the meeting was called at short notice. The chief selector was also unable to join the discussions virtually as he was in an area where an online connection was not possible.
“Today, he was out of station, so he could not be a part of the meeting. The meeting was called at very short notice and our chairman of the selection committee, Ajit, was not in town. So he could not join the meeting and he was in an area where he could not join online either, despite our best efforts,” Saikia told the media.
The BCCI secretary also made it clear that Agarkar's absence should not be seen as something that signifies that there is a disagreement or that his position has changed in the board's setup.
Saikia further clarified that the September 3 gathering was not a selection meeting and that no selection-related matters were discussed.
“Today, we did not have any selection meeting. There was no such discussion in today's meeting,” he said.
The clarification is significant because the selection process for India's upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan had already been completed before the review meeting.
Agarkar had chaired an online selection committee meeting days earlier to finalize India's squad for the three-match T20I series that begins on September 13 in Delhi.
Therefore, Agarkar's absence from the Mumbai meeting had no consequence on the squad selection for the Afghanistan assignment.
Agarkar's Absence Triggers Social Media Speculation
Despite the BCCI's explanation, Agarkar's absence inevitably caused speculation on social media.
Questions surrounding his position as chief selector resurfaced amid the controversy surrounding Rohit Sharma's international future. The selection committee's handling of the former India captain's retirement became a contentious issue, and the BCCI eventually intervened in the matter.
Saikia, however, appeared keen to avoid fueling the speculation. “I do not want to give any fodder to the speculators,” he said.
The comments imply that the BCCI views Agarkar's absence as a logistical issue rather than one linked to the wider controversies surrounding Indian cricket's selection process.
When will Ajit Agarkar be seen next?
Ajit Agarkar is expected to return to the public eye during the Duleep Trophy final, which is scheduled to begin in Chennai on September 6. He is expected to attend the match along with a couple of fellow selectors.
Meanwhile, two other members of the selection committee are expected to be present in Delhi for India's T20I series against Afghanistan. Agarkar was also visibly involved in India's recently concluded Test series in Sri Lanka, with cameras repeatedly capturing the chief selector during both matches.
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For now, the BCCI's message is clear: Agarkar's absence from the review meeting was simply attributed to his location and the short notice of the gathering rather than any change in his role.
With India's next assignments already lined up and the 2027 ODI World Cup firmly on the horizon, the chief selector remains an important figure in the team's long-term planning.