October 17, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), chose to throw the ball in his court, Sourav Ganguly’s chances of submitting his nomination for the position of chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) seemed unlikely.
Even though Sourav has till October 19 to finish the procedure, this will simply make the pitch feel queerer.
Any current or past director who has attended at least one board meeting is qualified to compete for chair, according to the ICC’s constitution. Each ICC director is permitted to suggest one applicant. Candidates for elections must have the backing of two or more directors. A simple majority vote among the board’s 16 members, who total 17, will determine the winner.
The BCCI’s annual general meeting gave its office-bearers the responsibility of selecting the organization’s representative to the ICC. Secretary Jay Shah continues to be the favorite to go to ICC meetings.
There is already conjecture that the BCCI’s decision to adopt a neutral stance was influenced by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s plea to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that Souravcan contests the ICC elections.
If Sourav chooses to run, he will need to first ask incumbent Greg Barclay to withdraw from the race. Before taking the plunge, the former captain will want to ensure his easy passage. New Zealand’s Barclay has already announced that he plans to run for re-election.
In the second week of November, Melbourne will host the election for the new ICC chair.
Is Sourav going to submit his application for the ICC chair? Since he previously made his intentions to lead the Cricket Association of Bengal known, the prospects are limited.
What will the BCI’s position then be? Whether they will back Barclay if Singaporean Imran Khwaja decides to enter the race is still up in the air. The BCCI does not entirely endorse Barclay.
News Mania Desk
