SPORTS: Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar has been appointed as the chairman of the senior men’s selection panel on recommendations of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), BCCI secretary Jay Shah announced on Tuesday.

“The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), consisting of Ms. Sulakshana Naik, Mr. Ashok Malhotra, and Mr. Jatin Paranjape, interviewed applicants for the position of one selector in the Men’s Selection Committee. The three-member CAC has unanimously recommended Mr. Ajit Agarkar for the said position,” Shah said in a media release.

“The committee further recommended Mr. Agarkar for the role of Chairperson of the Men’s Selection Committee based on seniority (total number of Test matches).” Agarkar has played 191 ODIs apart from 26 Tests and 4 T20Is. He was a part of the 1999, 2003, and 2007 ODI World Cup squad and was on top featured in the 2007 World T20-winning Indian team.

He has a Test hundred at Lord’s and played a big part in India’s Test victory in Australia back in 2004, with a six-wicket haul in an Adelaide game.

Agarkar still holds the record for the fastest half-century by an Indian batter in ODI, achieved with a 21-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in 2000. He also held the record for being the fastest to reach 50 ODI wickets for nearly a decade, accomplishing the milestone in just 23 matches.