Sourav Ganguly ahead in race to replace Shashank Manohar as next ICC chairman?

New Delhi, May 22: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly is one of the front-runners to replace current Shashank Manohar as the next chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC).

Manohar became the first independent chairman of the ICC in 2016 and in 2018 he was elected unopposed for a second term. He has an option of contesting for a third and final term but is set to exit with the end of the ongoing term in August. Manohar, a former BCCI boss, will be asked to continue as the ICC chief for a couple of months more due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"This is for sure that Manohar is going but he will probably stay on for another two months as the annual Board meeting in June looks highly unlikely at the moment considering the global situation," an ICC Board member told PTI on the condition of anonymity. "So it might be in August that ICC will have a new chairman," he added.

Ganguly is emerging as a potential candidate to replace his compatriot when the elections happen. As per reports, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves is also a potential candidate to replace Manohar.

Earlier on Thursday (May 22), former South Africa captain Graeme Smith - who also happens to be Cricket South Africa's director of cricket - said at a press conference that he believes Ganguly, a fellow former Test captain, was the best man to succeed Manohar. However, CSA president Chris Nenzani later said Smith's call did not have official approval.

"We must respect both the ICC protocol and our own protocol in deciding which candidate to back," said Nenzani, a controversial figure who has stayed in office despite several calls for his resignation.

"There have been no candidates nominated as yet and once such nominations have been made the Board of CSA will take its decision in terms of its own protocol."

"We have the highest regard for the opinions of our director of cricket, Graeme Smith, who is a well-respected figure in world cricket and has already made an immense contribution in fulfilling his mandate to make our cricket teams world leaders again," said Nenzani.

"At the moment we don't want to anticipate any candidates who may be nominated for this important position to lead the game we all love."