MUMBAI: BCCI joint secretary Devajit Saikia is in line to be the next secretary, while Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh‘s (CSCS) Prabhtej Singh Bhatia could be the next treasurer of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), TOI has learnt.
Both Saikia, who has been discharging the functions of the secretary since current ICC independant Chair Jay Shah’s exit from the BCCI, and Bhatia are likely to be elected unopposed at the BCCI Special General Meeting at the cricket body’s headquarters on January 12 in Mumbai.
With the positions of secretary and treasurer vacant following Jay Shah’s move to the ICC as the chairman and Ashish Shelar taking over as a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government, the BCCI needs to fill those two positions amongst their office-bearers. Saikia will represent the Assam Cricket Association as per the draft electoral list issued by the electoral officer AK Jyoti. Prabhtej has been a member of the BCCI’s Apex Council.
If Saikia is elevated to the position of the new BCCI secretary, the Board will need to elect a new jt secretary to fill in his position.
Meanwhile, Arun Dhumal and Dhanraj Nathwani will represent the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) and the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), respectively, at the SGM, while the Mumbai Cricket Association will be represented by its vice-president Sanjay Naik.
Initially, there was speculation that Anil Patel, the secretary of the GCA and a well-known name in cricket administration, could be considered for the post of secretary. However, that speculation was put to rest as it is Nathwani who will be the GCA representative in the SGM, as per the draft electoral poll.
Surprisingly, the draft electoral list did not feature any representatives from the Cricket Association of Bengal.
