Jay Shah, the current Secretary of Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) and the son of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is in the pole position as the leading contender to succeed Greg Barclay as the ICC chairperson in December this year. He will be the youngest ICC Chairman at 35, if he reaches to the spot.
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ICC Chairman Greg Barclay Steps Down
- The current ICC Chairman, Greg Barclay is stepping down from his position and has announced that he will not be seeking a third term.
- Greg Barclay’s term will conclude in November 2024, leaving the top spot open.
- The news of his stepping down from the post has been confirmed via an official press release.
Official Press Release: https://www.icc-cricket.com/media-releases/icc-women-s-t20-world-cup-to-be-moved-to-the-uae
- Nominations for the post have been invited by the ICC till 27th August, 2024.
- If there are multiple nominations, an election will be held, the chosen candidate will start his new term from 1st December, 2024.
Jay Shah’s Race to ICC Top Spot
- Jay Shah is set to file his nomination for the top post at the ICC before the deadline.
- Jay Shah is expected to win the race for the spot as no other member country is expected to launch a candidate against India, considering India’s strong influence in global cricket.
- Jay Shah also has support from Cricket Boards of Australia and England, the top allies of the ICC.
- Jay Shah requires 9 out of 16 votes (51%) from the directors, which is expected to be a walk in the park for him.
Jay Shah’s Role in ICC
- Jay Shah is currently heading the ICC Financial and Commercial Affairs sub-committee and has a strong influence in the ICC boardroom.
- According to the ICC guidelines, the tenure of an ICC Chairman is of two terms of three years each.
- The current tenure of Jay Shah in the BCCI ends in September 2025; he may have to resign early to take on the post of an ICC Chairman.
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Challenges Ahead
- Renegotiating the broadcasting deal with Star Sports will be a major challenge for Jay Shah if he takes up the position.
- Star Sports secured the rights to broadcast global cricket events in India from 2024 to 2027 in a $3 billion dollar (USD) deal.
- It was expected that Star Sports would sell some of its rights to the Zee TV – Sony merger, but this merger has fallen through, leaving Star Sports to bear the financial burden alone.
- This financial burden has led Star Sports to renegotiate the deal with the ICC.
- If Star Sports is able to renegotiate the deal to half of its value, then all the cricket boards would face a significant loss, primarily India.
Jay Shah’s Career Achievement
- If elected as the new chairperson of the ICC, Jay Shah will join the elite list of Indians who have served in this position.
- Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Shrinivasan and Shashank Manohar were previous Indian chairpersons of the ICC.
- This position would mark a significant achievement in Shah’s already distinguished career.
Conclusion
Jay Shah’s rise to the position of ICC Chairman is poised to shape international cricket significantly. The entire cricketing world, especially in India, will be watching very closely to see how this transition unfolds.
