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Ajay Ratra has been appointed as a member of the Indian men’s selection committee, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Tuesday, September 3. Ratra will replace Salil Ankola on the panel and will work alongside Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar in selecting the Indian cricket team.
Ratra, a former wicketkeeper-batsman, had a brief international career, featuring in 6 Tests and 12 One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 2002, scoring 163 and 90 runs respectively. Despite his short international stint, Ratra has extensive experience in domestic cricket. He accumulated 4,029 runs and over 240 dismissals in 99 first-class matches for Haryana.
In a statement, the BCCI said that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) has appointed Ajay Ratra as a new member of the men’s selection committee, under the chairmanship of Ajit Agarkar. Ratra will take over from Salil Ankola, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a strong track record. As a selector, Ratra will work with current committee members to identify and support the next generation of cricketers who will represent India on the global stage.
At 42 years old, Ratra has significant coaching experience, having served as the head coach for Assam, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. He was also part of the coaching staff for the Indian team during the ODI series in South Africa in 2023. Following Agarkar’s appointment as Chief Selector last year, the selection panel included two selectors from the Western region, with Ankola already on the committee.
Ratra will assume his new role on Thursday, ahead of India’s two-Test series against Bangladesh starting September 19. Speaking to PTI after his appointment, Ratra expressed his excitement and commitment, stating, “It is a great honor and challenge. I am eager to contribute to Indian cricket.”
