Roger Binny to replace Ganguly as BCCI president, Jay Shah will continue as secretary, says BCCI sources
The 67-year-old from Bangalore would serve as the 36th Board president, it was agreed after frantic negotiations and backchannel discussions over the previous week.
As BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah, the son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, will serve a second straight term. Shah will take Ganguly’s place as India’s representative on the ICC Board.
The only Congressman in the BCCI cabinet is Rajeev Shukla, who will continue as vice president. Sports minister Anurag Thakur’s younger brother Arun Singh Dhumal will now become IPL chairman. He will replace Brijesh Patel. Influential Maharashtra BJP leader Ashish Shelar will be the new treasurer which means that he won’t become Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president. He was supposed to take up the role with support from Sharad Pawar faction. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s close aide Devajit Saikia will replace Jayesh George as the new joint secretary.
Whether BCCI will contest for the ICC chairmanship hasn’t been decided as yet.
“An influential minister in the central government played a key role in deciding the positions in the Board set up,” PTI quoted a BCCI source.
On October 18 during the AGM in Mumbai, Binny will officially assume leadership of the BCCI. Every candidate will be picked without opposition, hence there won’t be any elections for any position
The medium pacer was one of the architects of India’s historic World Cup triumph in 1983. In eight games, he took 18 wickets, the highest in that edition of prestigious tournament.
Ganguly, who arrived in Mumbai on Monday night, met with many influential people in New Delhi. Although Ganguly was eager to serve another term as BCCI president, he was told that there is no precedence of giving a second term to the Board president.
“Sourav was offered IPL chairmanship but he politely declined the offer. His logic was that he cannot accept becoming head of a sub-committee in BCCI after heading the same institution,” the BCCI source revealed.
Binny is a rather surprise choice to head the BCCI. However, hints were dropped that he will get some position when Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) named him as its representative at BCCI AGM instead of secretary Santosh Menon.
“Roger is one of the finest human beings and a thorough gentleman, who has graced the field for India. Plus he is also a World Cup hero and has a squeaky clean image. He resigned from selection committee as his son Stuart back then was in India contention,” the BCCI source added.
In case of Dhumal, the decision makers waited for Ganguly to take a call on IPL chairmanship and once he refused, they promoted the Himachal man, who has been known to be one of the most efficient men in last BCCI cabinet.
With Ganguly moving out of the picture, the East representation was always going to be Assam CM Biswa Sarma’s call as he played a key role even last time.
The names of members in the BCCI Apex Council and IPL Governing Council will be known when the final list will be published in a few days.
Inputs from PTI
