New Delhi, Oct 16 (IANS) The race for the vacant spot on India's senior men's selection committee has taken an intriguing turn, with former opener Wasim Jaffer throwing his hat into the ring.

As per multiple sources, Jaffer was among the notable names interviewed virtually by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), comprising former India players Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjpe.

It is understood that ex-India off-spinner Ramesh Powar, former pacer Salil Ankola, and the Baroda duo of Jacob Martin, who played ten ODIs for India, and Connor Williams were also interviewed, while Parthiv Patel, highly tipped to apply for the role, didn’t do so.

The vacancy arose following the exit of Ajit Agarkar as chief selector, after which the BCCI invited applications for the post. Former left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who played 24 Tests for India, is currently in charge as interim chairman of the selection committee.

With Jaffer's entry, that equation could change. As per the BCCI constitution, the selector with the most Test caps among the five members becomes chairman. With 31 Tests to his name, apart from 2 ODI appearances, Jaffer would leave Ojha behind on that count, provided the CAC recommends his name.

One of the most prolific run-getters in Indian domestic cricket, Jaffer amassed more than 19,000 first-class runs and made substantial contributions to Mumbai and later Vidarbha, winning the Ranji Trophy. Apart from having coaching stints in the IPL, as well as in India and Bangladesh U19 teams, Jaffer has been a consultant for Vidarbha and is currently the mentor for Hyderabad in the 2026/27 domestic season.

Powar, who played two Tests and 31 ODIs, previously served as head coach of the Indian women's team in two stints. Ankola, the other Mumbai candidate, represented India in one Test and 20 ODIs and was a national selector from January 2023 till August 2024, before making way for Ajay Ratra so as to balance the regional zones in the selection committee.

There is also movement on the junior men’s selection committee front. Powar had earlier been tipped as front-runner for the junior panel's top job. But if Powar goes to the senior men’s selection panel, former India pacer Dodda Ganesh and Arjun Yadav are in the fray to join the junior selection committee.

The CAC is expected to finalise the name of the fifth senior selector soon, with the outcome likely to determine who leads the all-important panel going forward, especially with the 2027 Men’s ODI World Cup build-up being the key focus.

--IANS

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