Mithun Manhas Elected As New BCCI President Unopposed

Former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas was elected the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India unopposed along with other members, including board's secretary Devajit Saikia, during its 94th Annual General Meeting (AGM) at its headquarters here on Sunday.

The 45-year-old Manhas became the 37th president of the all-powerful cricket body after he succeeded former India cricketer Roger Binny, who resigned from the post last month after turning 70.

Manhas is the third consecutive First-Class cricketer to have taken over as the board’s president after Binny and former captain Sourav Ganguly.

Manhas, who featured in 157 First-Class, 130 List A and 55 IPL matches between 1997-98 and 2016-17, had emerged as the frontrunner following an informal meeting of the board’s power brokers in New Delhi on September 20 ahead of the final day of nomination.

He also served as the director of a three-member ad-hoc committee formed by the BCCI to manage the affairs of the Jammu and Kashmir State Cricket Association (JKCA) due to mismanagement.

Manhas, who has an impressive tally of 9,714 First-Class runs with 27 centuries to go with 4,126 runs in List A matches, said he would rely on his experience as a player and administrator.

“It’s an absolute honour to be the president of the world’s finest cricket board. It’s a huge responsibility as well. I give my assurance that I'll be committed to do it to the best of my ability and dedication and passion,” Manhas told the media here.

“Maybe my work, my credentials… both as an administrator, as well as a cricketer. For the past four years, I've been working with the JKCA, we have done reasonably well and it will certainly help,” he said when asked about the factors that worked in his election as the board’s president.

The AGM also confirmed a few other key appointments with BCCI secretary Saikia and IPL Governing Council chairman Arun Dhumal retaining their posts, while former India cricketer and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Raghuram Bhat taking charge as the treasurer.

Veteran administrator Rajeev Shukla will continue as the board’s vice-president while M Khairul Jamal Majumdar was named as one of the two representatives in the IPL GC along with Dhumal.

Prabhtej Bhatia moved from the post of BCCI’s treasurer to joint secretary, replacing Rohan Gauns Dessai, and Saurashtra Cricket Association president Jaydev Shah became the apex council member as general body representative.

“There was no contestant against any of the candidates who had submitted their nominations for the apex council posts. They have got selected unopposed,” Saikia said.

Changes to selection committees - Former India internationals RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha were inducted into the men’s selection panel, while ex-Tamil Nadu batter S Sharath returned to the junior selection committee.

Sharath was a member of the senior selection committee till now.

The Ajit Agarkar-chaired committee now comprises former India players Shiv Sundar Das, Ajay Ratra, RP Singh and Ojha.

In the women’s selection panel, former India cricketer Amita Sharma replaced Neetu David as its chairperson.

Sharma, a right-arm seamer who played five Tests, 116 ODIs, and 41 T20Is between 2002-2014, will be joined by former India players. Shyama Dey, Jaya Sharma and Sravanthi Naidu as new inductees. Shyama retained her position.

Their tenure will begin after the women’s World Cup, which begins on Tuesday with co-hosts India and Sri Lanka facing off in the tournament opener in Guwahati.

“One of the main decisions taken during the AGM today were the appointments of senior men’s and women’s selection committee members, the process regarding the new appointees was underway. Those appointments were confirmed today with a full house,” Saikia said.

Jayesh George, the president of the Kerala Cricket Association, was appointed as the first-ever independent chairperson of the Women’s Premier League committee.

The position was held by Binny since the league’s inception in 2023.

The Delhi & District Cricket Association president Rohan Jaitley was named the chairperson of the Infrastructure Committee.

Saikia said the BCCI has asked the state associations to provide nominations for various committees including the Cricket Advisory Committee and the Umpire’s Committee.

“They have to comply with certain provisions of the constitution, with eligibility being one criteria. We have requested them to send the names whom they feel are deserving and eligible,” he said.

Welcoming Manhas’ election, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who attended the AGM as Punjab Cricket Association’s representative, said a cricketer at the helm of affairs of the Board was a positive step.

“When a cricketer heads a cricket body, his experience and other qualities help. It’s a good decision and it’s been happening for the last three terms which is a great thing for the cricketers as well for him to give something back to the game,” he said.

“The BCCI has started this and there cannot be anything greater for any cricketer that he can also give something back. I’ve played a lot of cricket with Mithun since U19 days and I am very happy for him,” added Harbhajan.

During the AGM, Harbhajan also urged the BCCI to contribute towards relief work in flood-hit Punjab and other north Indian states.

Ganguly, who recently took over as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, did not attend the AGM.