'Ajit loved shouldering responsibility': Former Mumbai cricketer Amit Pagnis on Agarkar

Ajit Agarkar. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Former Mumbai and Railways batter Amit Pagnis was also on that India U-19 tour to Sri Lanka with Agarkar. "Ajit has huge international experience as a cricketer and coach [Delhi Capitals]. He knows the needs of the modern game. I know him as a cricketer and a friend. He is definitely capable of doing justice to this big responsibility of being the national chief selector," said Pagnis, who coached Mumbai a few years ago.

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"Ajit was my captain when Mumbai won the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy in 1997. I was vice-captain. He always liked to shoulder responsibility. He scored two big consecutive hundreds in the crucial knockout stage which helped us to progress and win the tournament," Pagnis added.