‘Every Score Is On App’: BCCI Official’s Odd Remark On Agarkar’s Absence From Domestic Games

A BCCI official has said that not just the Indian team management but the selection committee will also be questioned on India’s Test debacle, which saw them lose two home Test series in two years, adding

that the absence of the chief selector from domestic games doesn’t account for much, since scores are available on the app.

The famous 2–2 draw against England earlier this year now feels like a distant memory, with no clear strategy in place for managing home conditions. Since Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach and

Ajit Agarkar became chairman of selectors, India have suffered two home Test whitewashes, first against New Zealand in 2024 and now against the Proteas.

While Gambhir faces the brunt of the criticism, Agarkar is under scrutiny as well. Since assuming his key role two years ago, the latter has overseen the selection of over 30 different cricketers in India’s Test lineup.

Agarkar has faced criticism for not attending enough domestic matches during the season. While he has been a regular presence on overseas tours and at home Tests, he hasn’t been seen at domestic games.

Agarkar’s minimal presence at Ranji Trophy matches has contributed to a growing disconnect with domestic cricketers. Over the past year, players like Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy have made their Test debuts despite underwhelming first-class averages, lower than those of domestic performers such as Sarfaraz, Karun Nair and Easwaran.

“We will speak to the selectors too (on the Test debacle) and as far as watching domestic games is concerned, every score comes on the app,” a BCCI official said while speaking to The Times of India.

How many more talents like Padikkal might have emerged if Agarkar had placed greater emphasis on domestic competitions is the question that has arisen. In the past two years, Indian cricket has shown a concerning selection trend.

While some choices have yielded results, the overall process has yet to establish a consistent and reliable feeder system.