The next president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is Mithun Manhas, a former cricket player from Delhi. He will succeed Roger Binny, the announcement was made after the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) concluded on Sunday, September 28 in Mumbai.
The 45-year-old takes over as the BCCI’s first representative from Jammu and Kashmir. He holds the esteemed position for the first time as an uncapped player. Following the recommendations of the Lodha Committee, which were integrated into the BCCI constitution in 2019, the decision was taken.
Mithun Manhas, meanwhile, relocated to Delhi after playing for Jammu & Kashmir at the U-16 level. He went on to play 157 first-class games and captained Delhi with players like Aakash Chopra, Virender Sehwag, and Gautam Gambhir. He worked as an assistant coach for the Gujarat Titans and represented IPL teams such as the Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors, and Chennai Super Kings.
The choice was not easy to make: BCCI source
At the AGM, additional office-bearers who will assist Mithun Manhas were also elected. A. Raghuram Bhat becomes the Hon. Treasurer, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia becomes the Hon. Joint-Secretary, Devajit Saikia remains the Hon. Secretary, and Rajeev Shukla was named the Hon. Vice-President. In addition, M. Khairul Jamal Majumdar and Arun Singh Dhumal were admitted to the Governing Council, and Jaydev Niranjan Shah was named the only member of the Apex Council.
At the AGM, additional office-bearers who will assist Mithun Manhas were also elected.
With Sourav Ganguly, Harbhajan Singh, and Raghuram Bhat among the other possible candidates, the BCCI reportedly had a difficult time choosing a qualified applicant. After lengthy deliberations and legal advice, the board decided that a cricket player would take the helm, citing a preference for administrative leadership expertise gained on the pitch.
“The forces in the BCCI didn’t make a simple decision. Around Manhas, all the intricacies were debated. In this regard, legal opinion was obtained. Nearly midnight was reached during the meeting. “The board managed to appoint a cricket player as president,” a BCCI source told TΟI.
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