BCCI not looking to send Sourav Ganguly's name for ICC chairman

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Mumbai, Oct 18: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided not to put Sourav Ganguly's name in the fray for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) election.

Former India cricketer Roger Binny, who played 27 Tests and 72 ODIs for India, has been elected unopposed as the new BCCI president. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) chief takes charge ahead of the ODI World Cup in India next year. He will now relinquish his office as KSCA president.

However, there was no discussion on the chairmanship of the ICC as the next ICC chairman will be elected during the board meeting in Melbourne next month.

"As far as India's representative to the ICC is concerned, it will be decided by the office-bearers. There was no discussion on the ICC chairmanship. Only matters on the agenda were discussed," a state unit official who attended the AGM told PTI.

It is unlikely that the BCCI will nominate its own candidate for the ICC chairman's position, with the October 20 nomination deadline approaching.

The BCCI is likely to back the current ICC chief Greg Barclay, who is looking for a second term. Barclay was elected the ICC president in 2020.

As Ganguly (50) was denied a second term as the board president, Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has been accusing Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) of political vendetta. TMC leaders have alleged that the BJP-ruled central government 'punished' the former India captain for rejecting their offer to join the BJP.

TMC chief and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee also called the move unfair and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to compensate by allowing Ganguly to contest for ICC chief.

While interacting with the media in Kolkata, Banerjee said, "On behalf of all countrymen I say that Sourav Ganguly is our pride, he has skillfully managed his sports & administration career. He was BCCI president. He was excluded in an unfair way; the compensation for it will be to send him to ICC."

"I request PM to make sure Sourav Ganguly must be allowed to contest the ICC election. He's a popular figure which is why he is being deprived. Request GoI not to take a decision politically, but for cricket, sports... He is not a political party member," the CM added further.

Ganguly hasn't spoken publically on the issue but claimed that he was definitely looking for a second term as the board president. The Prince of Kolkata is likely to be back as the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president.