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Mithun Manhas: A Strong Candidate for BCCI Presidency

New Delhi: Mithun Manhas, the former captain of Delhi, is currently the leading candidate to assume the presidency of the BCCI. This comes as several experienced BCCI officials and influential figures convened informally on Saturday.

The purpose of this gathering was to finalize candidates for the vacant positions within the Board ahead of the annual general meeting scheduled for September 28.

Sources indicate that individuals vying for these roles were invited to the meeting, including Manhas and Raghuram Bhatt, the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA).

Recent developments suggest that Manhas, who has previously served as the director of cricket operations for the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), is the frontrunner for the top position.

Although Manhas never played for the national team, he has an impressive record in first-class cricket, having participated in 157 matches and scoring 9,714 runs at an average exceeding 45, including 27 centuries.

In addition, he has played 130 List A matches and 91 T20 games for Delhi, along with stints in the IPL with teams like Chennai Super Kings, the former Delhi Daredevils, and the now-defunct Pune Warriors.

Bhatt, whose term as KSCA president concludes on September 30, may be considered for one of the available roles.

Currently, it appears that Bhatt may not seek re-election in the upcoming KSCA elections, which are expected to take place in October or November.

Notably, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh, nominated as the Punjab Cricket Association's representative for the AGM, was absent from Saturday's meeting.

It remains uncertain whether Sourav Ganguly, representing the Cricket Association of Bengal at the AGM, attended the meeting in New Delhi.

Additionally, former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More is also a potential candidate for one of the positions, as the ruling BJP is eager to place athletes in significant roles, despite their limited involvement in sports administration.

At present, the BCCI is in search of a successor for president Roger Binny and a new IPL chairman, as Arun Dhumal is expected to enter a mandatory cooling-off period after serving a total of six years.

In related news, Pragyan Ojha has been appointed to replace S Sharath on the national senior men's selection committee, which is led by Ajit Agarkar.

Sharath will take over from VS Thilak Naidu as the chairman of the junior selection committee.

Former Indian pacer RP Singh will replace Subroto Banerjee, with the new members set to assume their roles on September 28.

Consequently, the current selection panel will be responsible for selecting the Indian team for the upcoming two-match home Test series against the West Indies, commencing on October 2.