MUMBAI, India: Former domestic cricketer Mithun Manhas was unanimously elected president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday, becoming the 37th elected head of the world’s most powerful cricket board.
Manhas, 45, was the sole nominee for the post and was appointed during the BCCI’s annual general meeting in Mumbai, the board said in a statement. He succeeds former World Cup-winning all-rounder Roger Binny, who stepped down in August after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Vice-president Rajeev Shukla and secretary Devajit Saikia both retained their positions, while former Karnataka spinner Raghuram Bhat was elected as treasurer. Prabhtej Singh Bhatia was named joint secretary.
A seasoned middle-order batsman, Manhas scored 9,714 runs at an average of 45.82 in 157 first-class matches but never broke into the national team.
He also played more than 50 matches in the Indian Premier League before moving into administration, most recently as director of cricket in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir.
Indian media reported that Manhas’s rise was backed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and was discussed at a meeting last week in New Delhi attended by senior BJP leaders. The gathering took place at the residence of Home Minister Amit Shah, father of International Cricket Council chairman Jay Shah.
Cricket analysts say Manhas was unlucky to play in the same era as batting greats Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, while in Delhi his career was overshadowed by Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir. Despite this, he captained Delhi with distinction when its star players were on national duty.
The BCCI, fuelled by India’s cricket-mad fan base and lucrative broadcasting deals, remains the wealthiest board in world cricket, exerting considerable influence over the sport globally.
Alongside Manhas’s election, the BCCI announced changes to its selection committees. Former India bowlers Pragyan Ojha and RP Singh were appointed to the senior men’s panel, while Amita Sharma replaced Neetu David as chair of the women’s selection committee.
Manhas, born in Indian Occupied Jammu, is set to turn 46 in October. His administrative experience also includes roles with the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association and coaching stints with IPL franchises and Bangladesh’s under-19 squad.
