Ramesh Powar, Ashish Zaidi tipped for BCCI junior men's selection panel
Synopsis
Ramesh Powar, former India off-spinner and two-time women's team coach, is reportedly in line to become chief junior selector as the BCCI moves to reconstitute its national junior men's selection panel. Alongside UP pace stalwart Ashish Winston Zaidi, the new committee will oversee talent scouting, Under-22 selections, and integrity education for India's next generation of cricketers.
Key Takeaways
Ramesh Powar and Ashish Winston Zaidi have reportedly applied for the BCCI junior men's selection committee.
Powar is tipped to serve as chief junior selector and West Zone representative ; Zaidi as the Central Zone junior selector.
The BCCI invited applications on 24 August for five positions , with a deadline of 5 September .
The new panel will replace the outgoing committee headed by former Tamil Nadu cricketer S Sharath .
The committee will select teams up to Under-22 and is also tasked with promoting integrity awareness around drugs, betting, and match-fixing.
Details on the remaining three likely members are expected in the coming days.
Former India off-spinner Ramesh Powar and Uttar Pradesh fast bowling stalwart Ashish Winston Zaidi are reportedly in line to join the reconstituted BCCI national junior men's selection committee, according to sources tracking the development. The process has gained momentum even as the India Under-19 men's team is midway through an ongoing one-day series against Australia Under-19 at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
Who Is Being Tipped and for Which Roles
"Yes, Powar and Zaidi have applied for being a part of the committee. If all goes well, then Powar may become new chief junior selector, as well as West Zone representative and Zaidi could become the junior selector from Central Zone," sources said on Saturday, 19 September 2026.
Powar, 48, most recently served as head coach of the Gujarat senior men's team for two seasons before stepping down. He also coached the Indian women's cricket team on two separate occasions, with his second stint concluding when he was moved to the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru as a spin-bowling coach. The Mumbai-based cricketer represented India in 2 Test matches and 31 ODIs between 2004 and 2007.
Zaidi, meanwhile, is a seasoned domestic campaigner who claimed 427 wickets across 110 first-class matches and 47 List A games while representing Uttar Pradesh.
The Outgoing Committee It Will Replace
The incoming panel is set to replace the current junior selection committee chaired by former Tamil Nadu cricketer S Sharath. The outgoing panel also comprised Ranadeb Bose (East Zone), Harvinder Singh Sodhi (North Zone), Pathik Patel (West Zone), and Krishen Mohan (Central Zone). Details on the remaining three likely members of the new committee are expected in the coming days.
How the Recruitment Process Unfolded
The BCCI opened applications on 24 August for five positions in the junior selection committee, with 5 September set as the deadline. The process is now progressing toward finalisation, coinciding with the ongoing Under-19 bilateral series against Australia.
Scope of the New Panel's Responsibilities
According to the BCCI, the new committee will be responsible for selecting age-group teams up to Under-22 for coaching camps and junior fixtures — both domestic and international — across all formats. The panel will also scout and assess players through match observation, organise and conduct BCCI junior tournaments and overseas tours, and handle the administration of junior competitions.
Notably, the committee has been explicitly tasked with promoting strong ethical values among young cricketers, including awareness around issues such as drugs, betting, and match-fixing, through engagement with senior and former players. This mandate reflects the BCCI's growing emphasis on integrity education at the grassroots level.
With the Under-19 bilateral series underway and a new panel on the horizon, Indian junior cricket's structural roadmap for the next cycle is beginning to take shape.
Point of View
Women's, and state cricket — signals that the BCCI is prioritising recognisable, system-experienced figures over fresh faces in its junior structure. Yet the more consequential part of this appointment is the integrity mandate: tasking selectors with conducting ethics outreach is an unusual ask that reflects how seriously the board has begun to treat corruption exposure at the age-group level. Whether five selectors can meaningfully deliver on scouting, team selection, tournament administration, and ethics education simultaneously is a question of bandwidth the BCCI has not yet answered publicly.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Ramesh Powar and Ashish Winston Zaidi?
Ramesh Powar is a former India off-spinner who played 2 Tests and 31 ODIs between 2004 and 2007, and later coached the Indian women's cricket team twice. Ashish Winston Zaidi is a Uttar Pradesh fast bowling stalwart who took 427 wickets across 110 first-class matches and 47 List A games.
What roles are Powar and Zaidi expected to take in the BCCI junior panel?
According to sources, Powar is tipped to become the new chief junior selector and West Zone representative, while Zaidi is in line to serve as the Central Zone junior selector. The appointments are not yet officially confirmed.
What will the new BCCI junior men's selection committee do?
The committee will select age-group teams up to Under-22 for coaching camps, domestic tournaments, and international fixtures across all formats. It will also scout talent, organise junior tours, and promote ethical values — including awareness around drugs, betting, and match-fixing — among young cricketers.
Who does the new committee replace?
The new panel will replace the outgoing junior selection committee chaired by former Tamil Nadu cricketer S Sharath, which also comprised Ranadeb Bose, Harvinder Singh Sodhi, Pathik Patel, and Krishen Mohan.
When did the BCCI open applications for the junior selection committee?
The BCCI opened applications on 24 August for five positions in the committee, with 5 September as the submission deadline. The selection process is now reportedly gathering momentum.
