Noted cricket administrator Jay Shah is close to becoming the new chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Currently, Shah is the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
However, if he chooses to join the BCC, his position as BCCI secretary will remain vacant. He is believed to have the support of 15 of the 16 members of the ICC board, and his appointment as ICC chairman will be a mere formality if he decides to run.
9 votes out of 16 candidates are required to win the elections. However, it is not yet clear whether Jay Shah will take this step. He has less than four days to make a decision. Meanwhile, Shah’s current tenure as BCCI secretary still has a year to go. This is his second consecutive term in office.
Also read: Shaheen Afridi out of Bangladesh Tests? Peyser welcomes his first child with his wife Ansha
Candidates for BCCI secretary if Jay Shah decides to join ICC
The role of BCCI Secretary is a time-consuming one. Jay Shah himself was very busy with this work and implemented a number of reforms in the board of directors. Shah’s stint as BCCI secretary has been impressive and it remains to be seen if the upcoming candidates will match him.
One possible replacement for Jay Shah in this role is Arun Dhumal, who is currently the chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhumal has a good track record of managing the board and has served as treasurer.
Another candidate for this position is Rajeev Shukla, the current vice-president of BCTI. Shukla has been associated with Indian cricket for a long time. He also served as the manager of the Indian team during various foreign tours. Shukla is also a Congress politician and has been associated with the BCCI in various roles.
Ashish Shelar could be the third candidate who is eligible for the post of BCCI secretary. Ashish Shelar is the current BCCI treasurer and is a big name in MCA. He is a BJP politician. However, the post of BCCI secretary is a demanding job and can be time-consuming.
Apart from these candidates, another name in the running for the role is former first-class cricketer Devajit Saikia from Assam. Saikia is currently the joint secretary of BCCI. If we go through the process, Saikia should be the one to be promoted as BCCI secretary. But given that this is such a key post, Saikia’s chances seem slim.
Will there be a surprise choice for the position of BCTI secretary?
“Obviously, because there are no hard and fast rules, this can happen. But if you look at the BCCI’s power structure, the president, secretary and treasurer are the three main positions,” the former BCCI secretary was quoted as saying.
“There are people who are in the system and it doesn’t happen normally for someone to come and bypass them. But first, is Jay ready to go to the ICC? Even if he doesn’t go now, he can go whenever he wants,” the source added.
It remains to be seen whether Jay Shah chooses to go for the ICC chairmanship. Currently, Greg Barclay holds the position, whose term will expire at the end of November this year. Barclay has announced that he will no longer run for office, which makes Jay Shah’s path smoother.
