Jay Shah appears to be the frontrunner to become the next ICC Chairman, with the support of 15 out of 16 ICC Board members. However, it remains unclear whether he will accept the position, as he has less than 96 hours to decide. Shah still has one year left in his second consecutive term as BCCI secretary, with a mandatory three-year cooling-off period set to begin after his term ends in October 2025. If Shah decides to move to the ICC, the question of who will replace him as BCCI secretary remains unanswered, as neither he nor his close associates have revealed his immediate plans.
Potential candidates to succeed Shah as BCCI secretary include:
- Rajiv Shukla: The current BCCI vice-president and Rajya Sabha Congress MP could be asked to step into the role. Shukla may not object, as vice-presidents in BCCI often hold more symbolic roles.
- Ashish Shelar: The BCCI treasurer and a prominent figure in Maharashtra politics, Shelar is also a key player in the MCA administration. However, his political commitments might make the time-intensive role of BCCI secretary challenging for him. Despite this, his influence makes him a potential candidate.
- Arun Dhumal: The IPL Chairman and former BCCI treasurer, Dhumal has the necessary experience to manage the board. A potential swap of roles between Dhumal and Shukla could be a straightforward solution, although BCCI often introduces unexpected candidates.
Other names in the mix include joint secretary Devajit ‘Lon’ Saikia, a vital part of the current BCCI administration, who could be promoted. Among younger administrators, DDCA president Rohan Jaitley and former CAB president Avishek Dalmiya could also be considered. Additionally, state unit officials like Punjab’s Dilsher Khanna, Goa’s Vipul Phadke, and Chhattisgarh’s Prabhtej Bhatia may enter the discussion.
While there’s a chance that a new face could emerge for the top job, it is generally uncommon for someone outside the established power structure of the BCCI to bypass experienced candidates. As a former BCCI secretary noted, the key posts of president, secretary, and treasurer typically go to those who have been involved in the system. Whether Jay Shah will take the ICC role now or at a later time remains to be seen.
