Since becoming in charge in June 2023, Agarkar has been in charge during a period of success in shorter forms of the game for India. The team won the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy, and won the T20 World Cup again in 2026. They were also second best in the 2023 ODI World Cup during his time as selector.
Test struggles and squad transition challenges
People often compare how well Agarkar does as a selector to his time playing for India: 26 Test matches, 191 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 4 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) where he took a total of 349 wickets. Those who like his approach say the recent wins in ICC (International Cricket Council) competitions show he’s good at picking the team and managing the players.
However, a string of heavy losses in Test matches at home to New Zealand and South Africa, and losing a series in Australia, have made things less clear. India didn’t get into the final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship, which has led to questions about how good the Test team is and how many good players they have.
Selection calls and strategic decisions
Agarkar has also been in charge as a lot of the older generation of players have left the team. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stopped playing Test cricket (but continued in ODIs), and Ravichandran Ashwin retired from all forms of the game. This has changed who the leaders are and how the team is selected, for all types of matches, as they look towards 2027.
Agarkar and his selection team have made some important choices about who to play, for example, choosing Suryakumar Yadav to captain the T20I team even though many thought someone else would get the job. Agarkar said they went with Suryakumar because he’s likely to play in most matches and deserved the spot based on how he’s been playing.
Leadership views and the future of senior players
Currently on the selection committee with Agarkar are Pragyan Ojha, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra, and Shiv Sundar Das. This group has had to deal with needing to do well in tournaments soon, while also improving players for the future, and deciding between experienced players and those newer to the team.
When people have asked about how likely it is that older players will still be around, Agarkar says to focus on what’s happening now. He says two years is a long time and the team will probably change as players’ form, how fit they are, and what they want to do change as the 2027 World Cup gets closer.
Board considerations and implications for 2027 planning
Whether Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play in the 2027 ODI World Cup is a big topic. Agarkar and the team coach have frequently talked about the players they’re picking now, instead of making definite plans for players two years in the future.
Giving Agarkar a contract to last until the 2027 World Cup would mean there would be a continuing style of picking players during a very important period for the tournament. This consistency could help them decide on a strong main group of players, help players who aren’t quite first choice get better, and make sure that the people looking for players within India match what the national team needs.
Those who disagree with him will point to the problems in Test cricket and say a new approach is needed. Those who do agree will highlight the recent ICC trophies and how decisively he’s made changes to the team. The board will have to weigh the success in limited-overs cricket against the issues in the longer Test format when they decide.
Agarkar’s request means the people who run Indian cricket have a very important decision to make. What the board does will affect how India gets ready for the 2027 ODI World Cup and show how India balances winning competitions quickly with consistently doing well in all kinds of cricket.
