Jay Shah is likely to become the next ICC Chairman, but it’s unclear if he will take the position and who would then replace him as BCCI Secretary. Shah is supported by 15 out of 16 members in the ICC Board, but he has less than 96 hours to decide if he wants to move to the ICC while he still has one year left in his second term as BCCI Secretary. The new ICC Chairman will start on December 1, and the deadline for nominations is August 27. After his term ends in October 2025, Shah will have to wait three years before he can return to the BCCI.
However, there is a big question about who will replace Shah in the BCCI, as neither he nor those close to him have revealed his immediate plans.
Here’s the list of possible candidates:
Rajiv Shukla: It’s possible that the BCCI might change roles and ask current vice-president Shukla, a member of Congress in the Rajya Sabha, to serve as secretary for a year. Shukla would likely be open to this, as BCCI vice-presidents often have limited power.
Ashish Shelar: Shelar, a prominent BJP member from Maharashtra, is currently the BCCI treasurer and a well-known figure in the MCA. Although he is a skilled politician and the role of BCCI secretary requires a lot of time, his influence could still make him a contender.
Arun Dhumal: The Chairman of the IPL has the necessary experience to manage the board. He has served as treasurer and now leads the financially successful IPL. A swap between Dhumal and Shukla’s positions could be a simple solution, but the BCCI often surprises with unexpected choices.
Regardless of the various possibilities, there will be at least one new person in the list of office holders if Shah is officially prepared to step in.
Among the younger administrators, names like DDCA president Rohan Jaitley or former CAB president Avishek Dalmiya might be considered. Other young state unit officials include Punjab’s Dilsher Khanna, Goa’s Vipul Phadke, and Chattisgarh’s Prabhtej Bhatia, who was a former member of the IPL Governing Council. Could a completely new person take the top position? “Certainly, it could happen since there are no strict rules. However, if you examine the BCCI’s power structure, the president, secretary, and treasurer are the three main roles,” explained a former BCCI secretary.
“Some individuals have already been part of the process, and it’s unusual for newcomers to skip ahead of them. However, the main question is whether Jay is prepared to join the ICC. Even if he doesn’t join now, he has the option to do so at any point,” he continued.
