Ramesh Powar tipped to head BCCI junior national selection panel

Ramesh Powar is being strongly considered for the top post on the BCCI’s five-member junior national selection panel, with reports indicating he could lead the body responsible for overseeing age-group cricket up to the Under-22 level. The former India off-spinner has recently moved on from his position with Gujarat and is now being linked with a significant shift into cricket administration.

According to a report published on September 19, 2026, by India Today, Ashish Winston Zaidi, the Uttar Pradesh fast bowling stalwart, is also tipped to secure a place on the junior men’s selection committee alongside Powar.

The BCCI had opened applications for all five positions on the junior men’s selection committee on August 24, 2026, with September 5 set as the deadline for submissions. Each of the five posts carries distinct responsibilities, and the chairman’s role is expected to carry the broadest oversight across the committee’s functions.

What will the junior selection committee be responsible for?

The newly formed junior selection committee will pick age-group squads up to the Under-22 level. Its scope covers selections for coaching camps as well as India’s junior fixtures against both domestic and international opposition.

The panel’s creation reflects the BCCI’s intent to bring structured, dedicated oversight to the development pathway for young cricketers across the country. With five posts carrying distinct responsibilities, the committee is designed to address multiple aspects of junior team management and selection simultaneously.

What is Powar’s background ahead of this potential role?

Ramesh Powar represented India in two Tests and 31 ODIs during his playing career as an off-spinner. After retiring, he built a varied coaching record across formats and levels of the game.

He served two separate terms in charge of the Indian women’s side. His second tenure concluded when the BCCI moved him to the National Cricket Academy in a spin-bowling coaching capacity, where he worked within the men’s development setup headed by VVS Laxman.

In his most recent assignment, Powar took charge of Gujarat’s senior men’s team for a season before choosing to step away from that role. If the reported interest materialises, it would represent a notable transition from the dressing room into a selector’s chair for the experienced cricketer.