A lot of attention will be focused on the new set of office-bearers when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) holds its 94th annual general meeting in Mumbai on September 28.
According to a communique to state associations from secretary Devajit Saikia, elections will be held for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary, joint secretary and treasurer.
Roger Binny had to demit office as president on completing 70 years in July with vice-president Rajeev Shukla now running the show in an interim capacity. Who succeeds Binny will be followed with keen interest since no definite name has emerged so far.
A legendary cricketer’s name has been doing the rounds but he has reportedly turned down the request. There is also talk that the son of a former top administrator, who has played first- class cricket for long, could be discussed.
It remains to be seen if Sourav Ganguly gets his second term to be BCCI chief after being unceremoniously ousted by the powers-that-be in October 2022. The former captain is set to be chosen as Cricket Association of Bengal’s president at its AGM on September 22.
However, there’s no clarity on whether Shukla will continue as vice-president. The IPL could have a new chairman with Arun Singh Dhumal having completed his six-year term — first as BCCI treasurer (2019-2022) and then as IPL chairman. According to the current constitution, he needs to undergo a three-year cooling-off period.
But whether the IPL chairman’s role qualifies to be an office-bearer is unclear. Mumbai Cricket Association’s vice-president Sanjay Naik’s name is also being favoured for the post in some quarters.
As of now, secretary Saikia, treasurer Prabhtej Singh Bhatia (Chhattisgarh) and joint secretary Rohan Gauns Desai (Goa) are set to continue in their respective positions.
The formation of the apex council and the IPL governing council are also on the agenda of the AGM. The BCCI will induct one representative of the general body and two of the Indian Cricketers’ Association into the apex council.
