Last Updated:
According to a latest report, while there are no clear favourites for the post of the new BCCI secretary presently, Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) secretary Anil Patel could be a dark horse in the race.
GCA secretary in line succeed Jay Shah as BCCI’s secretary. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
Jay Shah left his role as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary on November 30 to take charge of the International Cricket Council (ICC) from December 1, 2024. The 36-year-old cricket administrator was appointed as BCCI secretary in 2019. After Shah’s move to ICC, BCCI’s secretary position is vacant. According to a report in the Times of India on Friday, December 20, BCCI will hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) at its headquarters on January 12, 2025, to elect the new secretary and treasurer.
According to the available information, “there are no clear favourites for the post of the new BCCI secretary presently, Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) secretary Anil Patel could be a dark horse in the race.”
As per the regulations, from the time an office bearer quits his post, the Board has 45 days to call for a SGM and elect the successor, which means the BCCI is required to fill the secretary’s position by January 15, 2024.
After Jay Shah was elected unopposed as the new ICC chairman in August 2024, Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) president Rohan Jaitley and IPL chairman Arun Dhumal were said to be favourites to succeed him at the BCCI.
In addition to the secretary, the BCCI will appoint a new treasurer as well after Ashish Shelar left his role to take an oath as a cabinet minister in the new Maharashtra government. As per the BCCI constitution, a minister is ineligible for an office-bearer’s position.
Before Jay Shah, Amitabh Choudhary served as BCCI secretary from 2017 to 2019, and in the past Anurag Thakur, N. Srinivasan, Niranjan Shah, Jagmohan Dalmiya, M Chinnaswamy, and Anthony de Mello, among others, have served as BCCI’s secretary, which is the second most powerful and important post after president. The secretary signs all the contracts and carries correspondence on behalf of BCCI, and he also has the power to take action or defend office bearers and employees of the BCCI.
