It is expected that Jay Shah will soon become the next ICC Chairman but the question that arises here is that who will replace Shah as the BCCI Secretary if he does in fact decides to join the world governing body.
Shah is supposed to have the backing of 15 out of 16 members in the ICC Board but has less than 96 hours to decide if he wants to make the move when he still has one year left in his second consecutive term as BCCI Secretary. The new ICC Chairman will take charge on December 1, and the last date for filing nomination is August 27.
Here are some potential candidates who can replace Shah as BCCI Secretary –
Rajiv Shukla: There is a possibility that the BCCI may ask current Vice-President Shukla to do the job for 1 year. Shukla wouldn’t certainly mind becoming a secretary as Vice-Presidents are more like rubber-stamp.
Ashish Shelar: Then there is Maharashtra BJP heavyweight Shelar, who is also the BCCI treasurer and big name in MCA administration. Shelar is also quite the influential name so he could be in the mix as well.
Arun Dhumal: The IPL Chairman has requisite experience to run the board. He has been a treasurer and now heads the cash-rich league. Dhumal and Shukla swapping designations could be the easiest way out.
Whatever be the permutation and combinations at play, there will be one new candidate in the office-bearers’ list if Shah is officially ready to take the plunge.
A former IPL Governing Council member was recently asked that whether there is a chance that a completely new face gets the top job
“Obviously, it can happen as there are no hard and fast rules. But if you look at BCCI’s power structure, president, secretary and treasurer are three key posts,” said the former council member.
“There are people who have been in the system and someone just coming and bypassing them normally doesn’t happen. But first, is Jay ready to go to the ICC? Even if he doesn’t go now, he can go anytime,” he added.
