BCCI selection committee: Odisha-born Pragyan Ojha chairs, Powar joins
Published · Updated
The former India left-arm spinner, with 113 wickets in 24 Tests, succeeds Ajit Agarkar as chairman of the senior men's panel, named on 19 October. Who he is, the full five-man panel, and what is not yet known.
Original report · Explained
Who is Pragyan Ojha, the new head of the BCCI selection committee? He is a former India left-arm spinner, born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, who took 113 wickets in 24 Tests, and on 19 October 2026 the BCCI named him chairman of the senior men's selection committee, succeeding Ajit Agarkar (Sunday Guardian, 2026; Wikipedia, 2026).
Former India spinner Ramesh Powar joins the five-man panel as a selector. The Tribune reported that Agarkar's term ended on 4 October 2026 (The Tribune, 2026). The panel now picks India's senior men's teams, with World Test Championship fixtures and limited-overs assignments straight ahead.
Ojha took 113 wickets in 24 Tests
Ojha's record, from Sunday Guardian and his Wikipedia entry:
- 24 Tests, 113 wickets
- 18 one-day internationals, 21 wickets
- Retired on 21 February 2020
That is close to 5 wickets a Test (113 divided by 24 is 4.7). He was born in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. We could not verify whether he is the first chief selector from the state, so we do not claim it.
He does not pick teams alone.
The full five-man panel
Sunday Guardian listed the panel with each member's Test caps:
- Pragyan Ojha (chairman): 24 Tests
- Shiv Sundar Das: 23 Tests
- RP Singh: 14 Tests
- Ajay Ratra: 6 Tests
- Ramesh Powar: 2 Tests and 31 ODIs
Between them, the five played 69 Tests for India. The Tribune reported that Ojha chairs the panel on seniority. Which zone each selector represents was not in the reports we read.
The newest name on that list arrived by a unanimous vote.
Ramesh Powar joins on a unanimous recommendation
Powar, 48, took 470 first-class wickets, The Tribune reported. The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) backed him without dissent.
"The CAC unanimously recommended the appointment of Powar," BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said (The Tribune, 2026).
His arrival completes the change at the top that began with Agarkar's exit.
Why Ajit Agarkar went
The Tribune reported that Agarkar's term ended on 4 October 2026, after he had led the committee since July 2023. Under him, India won 3 ICC trophies and 2 Asia Cups, the paper reported.
The BCCI thanked Agarkar for his "commitment, conviction, and contribution throughout his leadership period" (Sunday Guardian, 2026). No other reason for his departure is on record in the reports we read.
The two reports did not tell the change the same way.
How the coverage split
Sunday Guardian framed it as Ojha replacing Agarkar, and listed every member of the new panel. The Tribune led on Powar's appointment and said Ojha "continues" as chairman. See how every outlet covered it.
What happens next
The committee faces World Test Championship fixtures and limited-overs assignments immediately, Sunday Guardian reported. The Tribune said continuity is planned up to the 2027 50-over World Cup in South Africa.
The first squads this panel names, and their dates, have not been announced. For the tour squads named last week, read India squad for New Zealand: why Shreyas Iyer leads the last two ODIs.
Questions people are asking
Who is Pragyan Ojha?
A Bhubaneswar-born former India left-arm spinner who took 113 wickets in 24 Tests, now chairman of the senior men's selection committee (Sunday Guardian, 2026; Wikipedia, 2026).
Who is in the new BCCI selection committee?
Pragyan Ojha (chairman), Shiv Sundar Das, RP Singh, Ajay Ratra and Ramesh Powar (Sunday Guardian, 2026).
Why was Ajit Agarkar replaced?
His term ended on 4 October 2026, The Tribune reported. No other reason is on record.
Is Pragyan Ojha from Odisha?
Yes. He was born in Bhubaneswar (Wikipedia, 2026).
Who is Ramesh Powar?
A 48-year-old former India spinner who played 2 Tests and 31 ODIs and took 470 first-class wickets (Sunday Guardian, 2026; The Tribune, 2026).
References
- Sunday Guardian (2026) BCCI New Chief Selector: Pragyan Ojha Replaces Ajit Agarkar As Selection Committee Chairman, Ramesh Powar Join Panel. Sunday Guardian. Available at: BCCI New Chief Selector: Pragyan Ojha Replaces Ajit Agarkar (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- The Tribune (2026) Pragyan Ojha appointed cricket selection committee chairman; Ramesh Powar is selector. Tribune India. Available at: Pragyan Ojha appointed cricket selection committee chairman (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
- Wikipedia (2026) Pragyan Ojha. Wikipedia. Available at: Pragyan Ojha (Accessed: 20 October 2026).
How we did this
We read the appointment reports by Sunday Guardian and The Tribune and Ojha's career record on Wikipedia on 20 October 2026. We compared how the two reports framed the change, added up the panel's Test caps, and checked the claim that Ojha is Odisha's first chief selector, which we could not confirm. The hero image is a freely licensed photograph of Ojha from Wikimedia Commons.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 6 outlets across the spectrum: 17% left, 50% center, 33% right.
Who is covering this story
- Left-leaning (1): The Hindu
- Center (3): ESPN Cricinfo, Wikipedia, Tribune India
- Right-leaning (2): Deccan Chronicle, Sunday Guardian
Sources
- Ramesh Powar Appointed As National Selector; Ojha To Continue As Panel Chairman — Deccan Chronicle (right-leaning) ·
- Powar appointed men's national selector; Ojha to serve as chair — ESPN Cricinfo (center) ·
- Pragyan Ojha - Wikipedia — Wikipedia (center) ·
- BCCI New Chief Selector: Pragyan Ojha Replaces Ajit Agarkar As Selection Committee Chairman, Ramesh Powar Joins Panel | Check All Member Names — Sunday Guardian (right-leaning) ·
- Pragyan Ojha appointed cricket selection committee chairman; Ramesh Powar is selector - The Tribune — Tribune India (center) ·
- Ramesh Powar appointed as national selector; Ojha to continue as panel chairman — The Hindu (left-leaning) ·