‘Fifteen days is a long time’: BCCI is playing ‘wait and watch’ on Ajit Agarkar’s future

Devajit Saikia, Ajit Agarkar Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia on Friday offered no clear answer on the future of men’s selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar, but said “15 days is a long time in the world of cricket”.“We still have fifteen days to go. Fifteen days is a long time in the world of cricket. We will take a decision at the appropriate time and let you know about it. There was no discussion about any individual today,” Saikia said after the end of the annual general meeting at the BCCI headquarters.This comes after BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said earlier in the day that the board has empowered its office-bearers to take a decision on the future of the men’s senior selection panel headed by Ajit Agarkar.“Arun Singh Dhumal, Majumdar retain posts in IPL governing council; AGM mandates office bearers to take decision on selectors,” Shukla said after attending a meeting at BCCI headquarters.BCCI President Mithun Manhas, Vice President Rajeev Shukla, Secretary Devajit Saikia, Cricket Association of Bengal President Sourav Ganguly and Jharkhand State Cricket Association Secretary Saurabh Tiwary were among the officials present at the AGM.Agarkar was appointed as the chairman of the men’s senior selection committee in July 2023 and his contract is set to expire next month.Meanwhile, Saikia also said that the BCCI has started appointing a new five-member junior selection committee. “We have received a very large number of applicants so we are shortlisting it and once the selection is done we will forward it to our cricket board who will be the competent authority to select the selectors for the junior selection board, so the process is going on and we are trying to complete it in the next 10-15 days to form the junior selection board as all the five selection boards will be finished soon.”“Lots of time and processes to bring BCCI under Sports Act”Saikia clarified that there was plenty of time before the BCCI came under the National Sports Governance (NSG) Act. The Supreme Court recently asked the BCCI and its state associations to clarify their position following multiple court cases involving various associations, whether over minor changes in their constitution or disputes arising out of factionalism.Saikia clarified that the BCCI is not against coming under the new Sports Act, provided the government completes several processes.“So, as far as the Sports Act is concerned, our position is very clear. There are a lot of things that the concerned body still needs to do; once these exercises are completed and once the BCCI comes under the Sports Act, a special notification has to be issued to make it a designated sport. Till then, we have nothing to do. Whenever that notification comes, we will immediately start action. After that, we will do our work under the new sports rules,” Saik said.“We pay a tax of Rs 3,000 crore annually to the government. Unlike other sports federations, we do not take any government funding. Therefore, cricket cannot be considered a ‘designated sport’ under the National Sports Administration Act, 2025,” Saikia pointed out.Promotion and relegation introduced for home refereesSaikia said the BCCI will introduce a promotion and demotion system for umpires in domestic cricket, with 10 umpires promoted and 10 demoted after each season.“All referee placements will be based on merit. We have an evaluation team under the referee board. They will be given assignments based on their merit – be it knockout points or important matches. There will be a relegation and upgrade system after each season. Ten referees at the end of each season will be promoted and ten of them will be very attentive during the season and will be very vigilant this season.” cricket because the future of some players depends on the decision of the umpires who have to be very competent and vigilant,” he stated.As reported by TOI on Friday, Saikia confirmed that the BCCI has decided to increase the salaries of domestic match referees and umpires from the upcoming season. “Nearly a decade since 2017-18, there has been no revision of umpires’ remuneration. Earlier there were four categories – A+, A, B, C; now we have reduced it to A, B, C, D. Their daily charges have increased substantially. We have also strengthened the remuneration structure for match referees,” Saikia said.“IPL will start from last week of March”Saikia revealed that “IPL-2027 will start from the last week of March.” He said BCCI has big plans to celebrate its 100th anniversary (in 2028) and 20th anniversary of IPL next year. “We will complete 100 years of BCCI in December 2028, so from December 2027 we will be doing centenary celebrations for one year. The IPL, which will start from March next year, will be in its 20th year. We discussed that it should be done in a grand manner. We also saw a presentation (on this) after the AGM,” Saik said.Saikia also informed that Shubhadeep Ghosh, who is India’s fielding coach, has been appointed on a short-term basis.BGT Test at RanchiMeanwhile, former India batsman Saurabh Tiwary, currently secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), has denied reports of Ranchi being replaced as the venue for next year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to bad weather conditions. The five-Test series will begin on January 21 in Nagpur, with Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad hosting the next four Tests.“There is no change in the venue. If anyone has to write BCCI about it, it should be me and I didn’t write it,” Tiwary told the media.“There are six to seven months left (for the Ranchi Test). We have no such demand or suggestion that there will be any issues regarding the Ranchi Test,” Saikia said.