In a unexpected twist, former Delhi skipper Mithun Manhas has emerged as the top pick to become the next BCCI president. The move follows senior officials and powerful stakeholders of Indian cricket gathering in New Delhi on Saturday to finalize names for the principal posts within the board for its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 28.
Mithun Mahnas to be next BCCI president?
According to a PTI report, some of the contenders were summoned for talks, including Manhas and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) boss Raghuram Bhatt. Though both are still in the running, Manhas is believed to be the favored candidate to replace Roger Binny as president.
Who is Mithun Mahnas?
While he never wore the India jersey, Manhas fashioned a fruitful domestic career, making 9,714 runs at 45 in 157 first-class games, with 27 centuries to his name. He further played for Delhi in 130 List A games and 91 T20s, and appeared for the IPL with Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, and Pune Warriors. After retirement, he was involved in cricket administration, notably as director of cricket operations with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
Raghuram Bhatt another contender for the post
Bhatt, who is an ex-India spinner and whose term at the KSCA will end on September 30, is in line to grab one of the last senior positions at the board. He is unlikely to run for the next KSCA elections later this year, according to reports.
It is not known if Sourav Ganguly, the former BCCI president and current representative of the Cricket Association of Bengal, had attended the meeting or not. But it is known that Harbhajan Singh, who was nominated for being Punjab’s representative, did not attend the gathering. Ex-India wicketkeeper Kiran More is also a contender for a BCCI berth, with the ruling BJP said to be eager to add more retired players into the administration.
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Talks for a new IPL chairman
As part of the search for a new president, the board also plans to get a new IPL chairman in place, with current incumbent Arun Dhumal relinquishing his role because of the six-year cooling-off norm. On the choosing side, it is almost guaranteed that Pragyan Ojha will take S. Sharath’s place in the Ajit Agarkar-headed panel, with RP Singh to replace Subroto Banerjee. The new selection committee will commence from September 28, with the upcoming West Indies home Test series being their inaugural task.
