Strategic Conversations in Delhi Decide BCCI’s New Leadership

September 28 is set to be a pivotal day for Indian cricket as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) elects its new office-bearers, including the president. However, the candidate might not be finalized until an important meeting scheduled for September 20 in Delhi, where top BCCI officials will convene with ruling BJP members. Cricbuzz has learned this crucial decision is likely to be made there.

Although informal, this meeting is set to occur at the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah. Here, the blueprint for the next BCCI leadership is expected to take shape. Notably, a similar meeting in 2022 saw former president N Srinivasan criticize then BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly’s performance, which eventually led to the selection of Roger Binny for the role, despite Ganguly being eligible for another term.

Speculation is rife regarding whether Ganguly will be invited back to the meeting. His name, along with his former teammate Harbhajan Singh, keeps surfacing as a potential candidate for the top position. Additionally, there’s been chatter concerning Karnataka’s Raghuram Bhatt and former India wicketkeeper Kiran More.

While More’s candidacy may appear unfounded since he does not feature on the list of state association representatives eligible to contest the election, changes to this list are not entirely out of question.

According to a September 6 notification from BCCI electoral officer AK Joti, the final date for “Examination of Objections and Decisions Thereon (ii) Release of Final Electoral Roll” is September 19. This allows state associations the chance to alter their AGM nominees within the next 24 hours.

Whether it ends up being Ganguly, Harbhajan, Bhatt, More, or an unexpected nominee, the decision is anticipated to be made Saturday night in Delhi. While the ruling BJP typically does not directly involve itself in sports organizations’ day-to-day operations, they advocate for accomplished athletes to take the helm of national sports bodies.

Selectors interview underway

Meanwhile, the BCCI is in the process of interviewing candidates for new national selectors on Thursday (September 18). The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), consisting of Ashok Malhotra and Jatin Paranjpe, is conducting these interviews online. Since Sulakshana Naik, the third member of the CAC, is no longer involved, the BCCI may need to appoint a replacement.

The CAC will ultimately select seven candidates: two members for the Ajit Agarkar-led men’s national selection committee, one for the national junior committee, and four for the national women’s committee. The new selectors will assume their roles following the AGM on September 28.