Cricket Association of Bengal President
Sourav Ganguly, the departing BCCI president, might return to lead his state organisation, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), the former India captain stated on Saturday. Before becoming the BCCI President, Ganguly served as the CAB president for four years between 2015 and 2019 before being required to step down from the BCCI president’s position because no one has ever held the position for longer than three years.
“Yes, I will be contesting the CAB polls. I plan to file my nomination on October 22. I have been in CAB for five years. And as per Lodha rules. I can continue for another four years,” Ganguly told PTI.
It will be Ganguly’s second term as CAB president if he wins the election. From 2015 to 2019, he served as president. After that, he joined the BCCI.
“I will finalise my panel on October 20. Let’s see,” Ganguly said.
There was a lot of speculation that Snehasish Ganguly, the elder brother, would run against Avishek Dalmiya for the top post, but the former India player’s candidacy changes a lot of scenarios.
“With Sourav, there will always be an element of drama involved. In 2019, he beat Brijesh (Patel) for BCCI president’s post in a literal photo finish with power equations changing at last moment,” a senior BCCI official and a close witness to the events then told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
“Don’t forget that there is an ICC chairman’s nomination to be filed on October 20. Whether the powerful people in the BCCI have a change of heart, is the question,” he said.
According to the current state of the Board, Ganguly’s prospects of being the BCCI nominee for the ICC chairperson are less than 10%.
Ganguly as CAB president
Ganguly as CAB president would mean that he would remain important in the Board’s administrative corridors in some way, serving as their representative at the different board meetings, assuming that the BCCI mandarins do not change their minds.
However, there are numerous equations constantly at work. But, the picture won’t become obvious until after the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). It will take place on October 18 in Mumbai.
There were rumours that Ganguly resigned under difficult circumstances. But, the upcoming IPL chairman Arun Dhumal denied them in an interview with PTI.
The annual general meeting of the BCCI will be held on October 18 in Mumbai, and those who have submitted nominations, including former all-rounder Roger Binny for president and Jay Shah for secretary, are expected to be chosen without objection.
Since no position for an office-bearer received more than one candidate. The BCCI election on Tuesday is likely to be a formality. Rajeev Shukla, a member of the Rajya Sabha, will most probably to continue serving as vice-president. Two fresh faces will hold office for BCCI.
Devajit Saikia of the Assam Cricket Association will take over as joint secretary, and Ashish Shelar will serve as treasurer.
