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BCCI held an important review meeting on Thursday, with India head coach Gautam Gambhir, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, ODI and Test skipper Shubman Gill and Centre of Excellence director VVS Laxman among those in attendance. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar was notably absent, and he did not participate in the meeting virtually either.

Ajit Agarkar's absence attracted attention, particularly because his current term as chairman of the selection committee is scheduled to end in September. BCCI has now clarified why he could not attend the meeting.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia explained that Agarkar was outside the city when the meeting was called and was unable to connect online because of connectivity problems.

"He was out of town and could not be part of the meeting. The meeting was called on very short notice, and Agarkar was not in the city at the time. He was in a location where, despite efforts, he could not join the meeting online," Saikia said.

No Discussion On Agarkar's Tenure

Ajit Agarkar's absence had also fuelled speculation that BCCI could take a decision on his future during the September 3 meeting. There were reports suggesting that his tenure as chief selector could be extended by another year.

However, Saikia made it clear that Agarkar's tenure was not discussed during the meeting. As a result, there is currently no confirmation regarding any extension of his term.

Ajit Agarkar's tenure as chief selector has seen several significant selection decisions, some of which have generated considerable debate. One of the biggest was the decision to remove Rohit Sharma as India's ODI captain, with Shubman Gill subsequently taking over the role.

The appointment of Suryakumar Yadav as India's T20I captain over Hardik Pandya has also been linked to the selection committee's thinking under Agarkar. Several other decisions, including the handling of senior players and the introduction of young cricketers into the national setup, have also attracted attention.

BCCI Denies VVS Laxman Promotion

Saikia also addressed speculation surrounding VVS Laxman's role. Reports had suggested that the Centre of Excellence director could be appointed as India's Director of Cricket.

The BCCI secretary, however, dismissed the possibility, stating that the board has not considered any proposal to appoint Laxman as Director of Cricket.