India head coach Gautam Gambhir has paid tribute to former chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar after the end of his tenure, saying his contribution to Indian cricket will be remembered more favourably with time.

Agarkar’s stint as the chairman of the BCCI’s senior men’s selection committee came to an end last month. The board has now started the process of finding his replacement after inviting applications for the vacant position.

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Gambhir took to social media on Wednesday to thank Agarkar for their time working together.

“Dear Ajit Bhai, an absolute honour to work with you. Those 3 ICC trophies are testimony of your conviction: Team first & Team ahead, always. I must say, History will be kinder to you. Thank you for everything. My heartfelt wishes for your future endeavours!!” Gambhir wrote.

India's performance in Agarkar's tenure

Agarkar took charge of the selection committee in 2023 and was at the helm during one of India’s most successful periods in recent years.

India won the 2024 T20 World Cup, the 2025 Champions Trophy and the 2026 T20 World Cup during his tenure.

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He was also involved in several major selection calls as Indian cricket went through a period of transition. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from T20I cricket after India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph before later bringing down the curtain on their Test careers.

Agarkar also remained cautious when asked about their chances of featuring in India’s plans for the 2027 ODI World Cup.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Return Raises Questions

Interestingly, one of the first major selection developments after Agarkar’s departure was the return of veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to India’s T20I squad.

Bhuvneshwar was picked for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand, which is scheduled to begin on October 22.

The decision came after the fast bowler enjoyed an impressive IPL 2026 campaign. He played all 16 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and claimed 28 wickets.

According to a PTI report, however, Agarkar had been reluctant to move away from the selection policy of backing younger players. The report suggested that this approach worked against Bhuvneshwar’s chances despite his performances in the IPL.

RP Singh Had Pushed For Bhuvneshwar

The report further claimed that Central Zone selector RP Singh had backed Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion.

Singh and Bhuvneshwar both hail from Uttar Pradesh, but the proposal reportedly did not receive enough support during Agarkar’s tenure.

Things changed after Agarkar’s exit.

Interim chairman Pragyan Ojha and the other members of the selection committee were reportedly more open to bringing Bhuvneshwar back, particularly with Jasprit Bumrah unavailable for the New Zealand series.

The veteran pacer’s experience was seen as an important factor as India prepared for the five-match T20I contest.