Mumbai: Former Delhi cricketer Mithun Manhas is poised to become the next president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), emerging as the unanimous choice with no challengers filing nomination papers before the deadline on Saturday. The elections for the board’s new office-bearers will be held at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in New Delhi on September 28, though Manhas is expected to be elected unopposed.
Manhas, who never played for India but carved out a formidable career in domestic cricket, has reportedly secured the backing of the BCCI’s top brass for what is widely considered one of the most influential positions in world cricket administration. He will succeed Roger Binny, whose three-year term ended in August after he reached the board’s mandatory retirement age of 70.
Shukla, Saikia, and Bhatia to Continue
Rajeev Shukla, who has been serving as interim president since Binny’s exit, will remain in his substantive role as vice-president. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia is also set to continue, while Prabhtej Bhatia is expected to retain the post of joint secretary. Former India spinner and Karnataka cricket chief Raghuram Bhatt is tipped to take over as treasurer.
In addition, Arun Dhumal is set to continue as chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), ensuring stability in the league’s operations.
A Legacy of Cricketers at the Helm
Manhas’s elevation continues the recent tradition of former cricketers at the helm of the BCCI. Sourav Ganguly served as president from 2019 to 2022, followed by Binny, who took over in October 2022. Ganguly is expected to attend next week’s AGM as Bengal’s representative.
Though Binny stepped down under the age cap rule, the recently passed National Sports Bill has extended the retirement age for administrators to 75, raising the possibility of longer tenures for future office-bearers.
Who is Mithun Manhas?
While he may not have worn the India cap, Manhas is a highly regarded name in domestic cricket. Making his first-class debut in 1997–98, he became a linchpin of Delhi’s middle order. His crowning achievement came in the 2007–08 Ranji Trophy season, when he played a pivotal role in ending Delhi’s 16-year title drought.
Over nearly two decades, Manhas amassed 9,714 runs in 157 first-class matches at an impressive average of 45.82, including 27 centuries and 49 half-centuries. In the later part of his career, he moved to Jammu & Kashmir, where he not only played but also helped mentor young cricketers until his final first-class appearance in 2016.
AGM to Formalise Appointments
With the elections expected to be a formality, Sunday’s AGM in New Delhi will primarily serve to formalise the new appointments. For Manhas, it will mark a transition from being one of Indian cricket’s most dependable domestic performers to taking charge of the game’s most powerful governing body.
