Jay Shah officially took over as the youngest Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on December 1. With this, the position of Secretary in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has become vacant. Speculations have already started about who will be the next Secretary.
Several names have emerged in the race for this new position, but no official announcement has been made yet. Even the officials and state associations associated with the board remain unaware of who might take over this crucial role.
Saikia Leading the Race
Since the constitutional amendment in 2022, the BCCI Secretary has been one of the most influential positions in the world’s most powerful cricket board. The Secretary holds “all powers related to cricket and non-cricket matters,” with the CEO operating under their supervision.
Jay Shah was elected unopposed to ICC’s top position in August, prompting stakeholders to consider changes within BCCI. Among the frontrunners for the Secretary position are Anil Patel from Gujarat and the current Joint Secretary of BCCI, Devajit Saikia.
45 Days to Elect a New Secretary
A BCCI administrator stated, “We have no information about what’s happening. Everyone, including BCCI officials and state units, is silent on the matter. It’s most likely that the Joint Secretary (Saikia) will serve as an interim option for now. Daily matters need addressing, and whoever takes over must have some operational knowledge of BCCI.”
As per rules, the board has 45 days from the resignation of an elected official to convene a Special General Meeting (SGM) and select a successor. Counting 45 days from Shah’s ICC appointment, the board has until mid-January to fill the position.
Additionally, the BCCI Constitution requires the appointment of an Electoral Officer at least four weeks before the election. A senior official from a state unit stated that the board has enough time to complete the process.
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A Short Tenure for the New Secretary
The new Secretary’s tenure is expected to last about a year, as the current term for BCCI officials ends in September next year. “This matter should have been resolved by now,” remarked an official. “The Secretary has to sign most documents. It should have been raised during the AGM (in September), but no one questioned it then.”
Another state unit official commented, “There’s currently a lack of someone with the authority to make key decisions in the world’s most powerful cricket organization.”
The question of who will represent BCCI on the ICC Board also remains unanswered. Shah previously handled this responsibility, while BCCI President Roger Binny is listed among alternate directors. IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal represents India on ICC’s Chief Executive Committee.