Shashank Manohar formally elected as BCCI president
MUMBAI: Shashank Manohar was unanimously elected president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday, succeeding veteran administrator Jagmohan Dalmiya who died last month.The Nagpur-based lawyer, 58, was anointed to arguably the most powerful job in world cricket at a special general body meeting of the BCCI at its headquarters in Mumbai.
“Mr Shashank Manohar elected,” the BCCI said on its official twitter account @BCCI.Manohar was the lone candidate in the election.Manohar, who will remain at the helm for two years, had earlier served as BCCI president from 2008 to 2011.
Dalmiya’s death on September 20 had triggered a bitter succession battle within the faction-ridden BCCI, with former chief Sharad Pawar being a key contender for the post.
But Pawar, a veteran politician, backed out of the race after reportedly being opposed by the nation’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, paving the way for Manohar to emerge as a consensus candidate.Manohar is known to be close to former BCCI and International Cricket Council (ICC) chief Sharad Pawar. The senior lawyer has Pawar’s backing and after Indian Premier League (IPL) chief Rajiv Shukla opted out of the race.
Manohar, who has a squeaky-clean image and a no-nonsense approach to cricket administration, will be charged with restoring the BCCI’s image and credibility after a string of corruption scandals over the past few years.
The cash-rich BCCI, which generates huge revenues due to its vast television audiences, enjoys a pre-eminent position in world cricket and effectively runs the International Cricket Council with its allies, Australia and England.
Jharkhand Cricket Association (JCA) chief Amitabh Choudhary had emerged as a possible candidate earlier, but his chances slimmed considerably as the Sharad Pawar and Anurag Thakur factions wanted their man at the top.
