Mumbai: The special general meeting called by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) on Sunday to elect its new president will now only be a formality. All six state associations from the East Zone, led by Cricket Association of Bengal’s new chief Sourav Ganguly, have nominated Nagpur-based lawyer Shashank Manohar to the chair.
After all the back-room maneuvering that prevailed over electing the new president post the untimely demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya, BCCI members came together on Saturday to reveal their unanimous choice.
As reported by TOI, Nagpur-based Manohar – a lawyer by profession – will become president unopposed for the second time, his first stint being from 2008-2011. “After Dalmiya’s demise, it was very important to continue the reforms which have taken place in the last six months.
“We have seen the previous tenure of Shashank Manohar where his work has been appreciated by everyone and we believe under his leadership the BCCI will continue with the reforms which has taken place under the leadership of Dalmiya in the last six months,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said after Saturday’s meeting at the board’s headquarters to submit nominations.
“The kind of experience he (Manohar) has as an administrator, it is going to benefit the BCCI in their day-to-day functioning,” Thakur added.
Manohar had been at the forefront of the lobby that had been calling for Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman N Srinivasan’s head after the spot-fixing scandal engulfed the IPL in 2012-13. Most BCCI members, regardless of whether they are in support of Manohar’s candidature, strongly believe the man will not think twice in taking some tough decisions in the interest of the board.
“He comes with a lot of backing because of his integrity and legal background. In the present situation I don’t think we could have had a better candidate,” Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke said.
With the Lodha Panel waiting to announce reforms for Indian cricket, the future of two IPL franchise hanging in the balance and the BCCI burdened by a crisis of credibility, the onus will be on Manohar to restore the board’s image. “Restoring the credibility and image of the BCCI will be very important and Manohar, given his approach to cricket administration, is the right man for the job,” Shirke added.
Not just administrative matters, cricket too has taken a beating the last couple of years. Efforts to retain India’s position in the ICC Test rankings, bringing in a new coaching unit and reshaping the domestic circuit will also have to be top priorities.”BCCI has had some respectable people running the board. Manohar is equally capable,” Ganguly, who led the nominations from the East Zone, said.
Former BCCI and ICC president Sharad Pawar, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, Punjab Cricket Association secretary MP Pandove, Saurashtra’s Niranjan Shah and other state association representatives were present on Saturday.
