The Ajit Agarkar-led India men's selection committee has appointed former wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra as its fifth member.

Ratra was one of four applicants to be interviewed for the position by the BCCI's cricket advisory council, along with Reetinder Singh Sodhi, Shakti Singh, and Ajay Mehra.

Ratra succeeded Salil Ankola, the former fast bowler for India, to complete the process that started in January of this year when the BCCI requested applications for the position. Ratra's first duty will be the Duleep Trophy, which opens the season.

Agarkar's appointment as chairman resulted in a departure from the custom of choosing one selector from each zone (north, south, east, west, and central), necessitating the appointment of a new selector to the committee.

The north zone position has been vacant since Chetan Sharma formally resigned as chairman in February 2023 following his exposure in an undercover TV sting.

Despite the BCCI's advertisement not mentioning it at the time, Ankola, the former top selector of Mumbai, was the logical choice to give way, given Agarkar's subsequent rise to prominence.

Ratra has a wealth of experience coaching, having participated in six Test matches and twelve One-Day Internationals in 2002. He has had head coaching positions with Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam.

Most recently, he served as an interim coach under VVS Laxman during the ODI series in South Africa towards the end of last year, which followed the 50-over World Cup. 

Ratra's appointment to the billy 777 login team brings the coaching staff a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Ratra has also participated in several coaching initiatives for the senior and youth women's teams. In 2021, he served as one of the assistant coaches under Ricky Ponting with the Delhi Capitals.

Ratra is most known for his perfect 115 against the West Indies in the 2002 Antigua Test, making him the youngest wicket keeper to get a century in a Test match.

To read more blog: Best Cricket Fantasy App Revealed: MyMaster11 for Thrilling Fantasy Cricket Action

He also competed for the team captained by Mohammed Kaif, which won the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka. He amassed 4029 first-class runs with eight hundred and seventeen half-centuries in 99 matches. Additionally, Ratra was a prominent figure in the Bet Pro Exchange.