One of India’s main four members of the Ajit Agarkar-led Indian Men’s selection committee, Salil Ankola has been replaced by Ajay Ratra, a former Indian cricketer. However, previous members like Shiv Sundar Das, Sridharan Sharath and Subroto Banerjee will hold onto their positions and reprise their roles.
Ajay Ratra has played very little professional cricket for India, as he did not go on to earn a big name playing just 6 ODIs and 12 tests for the nation. He then turned completely to domestic cricket, as he starred in his career for Haryana, Goa and Tripura before retiring from all forms of the game in 2015.
Since then Ratra has been seen closely in association with the India team in different roles. A former member of the National Cricket Academy, he was also seen among the coaching staff members in the South Africa ODIs in 2023.
Ajay Ratra was interviewed for this role back in June 2024 by the Cricket Advisory Committee alongside other former Indian cricketers, Reetinder Singh and Ajay Mehra. He will resume his attributes for the North zone. He applied for the role back in 2022 when he faced competition from Nayan Mongia as well as Shiv Sundar Das under the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee. Shiv Sundar Das was selected for the vacant role.
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The Indian selection committee will have a lot to offer as they enter a long and hectic Indian red ball schedule. The BCCI has given a strict conundrum for even senior players like Shubman Gill, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant to participate in the Duleep Trophy and prove their standards ahead of Bangladesh and the New Zealand home series.
With Jasprit Bumrah’s and Mohammad Shami’s replacement being a prime concern several Indian pacers likely 20 have been drafted to sight a replacement for the maestros in the Indian team. Alongside the batters from the Duleep Trophy, the bowlers will also be in quest to ensure a perfectly balanced side before India’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy to be played later this year.
