BCCI Rules Out Sourav Ganguly For ICC Chairmanship; To Support Current Chief Greg Barclay

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• Oct 18, 2022 | Dhupali Das

While Jay Shah is anticipated to represent India in ICC Board meetings, the BCCI has made it...

Digital Desk: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said clearly that it will support current International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman Greg Barclay in his bid to maintain the position, and that the Indian board will not be endorsing Sourav Ganguly’s name for the same. According to BCCI sources, the BCCI representative for ICC, CEC and AGM has given the power to office bearers to decide on the same.

Apparently, one important topic of discussion is who the two BCCI representatives at the ICC would be. While Jay Shah is anticipated to represent India in ICC Board meetings, the BCCI has made it clear now that it will give the ICC chairmanship a miss and will back a second term for New Zealand’s Greg Barclay.

Earlier on Monday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee waded into the controversy surrounding Ganguly’s impending exit from the Indian cricket board, saying she would request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow the former India cricketer and BCCI chief to contest for the position of ICC chairperson.

"The BCCI AGM has decided to give powers to office bearers on BCCI’s representative to ICC. As far as whom BCCI will back in the ICC election we will decide when the bridge comes," BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said after the AGM on Tuesday.

New BCCI president and a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning squad, Roger Binny said, "In terms of cricket the structure is already in place. We need to look at the area where injuries are happening. We need to go to the bottom of it. We have good trainers, doctor and it needs to be addressed why so much injury is taking place. We need to prepare more lively pitches in India so that when we play abroad our players can adjust to it."

While clarifying the Indian cricket board's stand on bilateral cricket ties with Pakistan, BCCI General Secretary Jay Shah stated, "For Pakistan, we have stated policy that we need government clearance. As far as Asia Cup is concerned, which is supposed to be held in Pakistan next year, it will take place at a neutral venue. This is my decision that Asia Cup in 2023 will take place in a neutral venue."

"As far as roadmap is concerned our focus is on building more infrastructure, especially in North East. There is new NCA building which will come up. We got good media rights in the IPL. Our focus will be on domestic cricket too," he added.