Former cricketers lead contenders in high-stakes BCCI polls

With nominations opening on Sunday, the race for the BCCI presidency is set to intensify ahead of the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on September 28.

As per the schedule, scrutiny and the final list of candidates will be announced on September 23, with voting to take place during the AGM. Alongside the presidential election, the meeting will also finalise a fresh panel of national selectors, making it a decisive week for Indian cricket governance.

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The final electoral roll, released by electoral officer A.K. Joti on Friday, has thrown up several heavyweight contenders.

Among the frontrunners are former India captain Sourav Ganguly (Cricket Association of Bengal), ex-spinner Harbhajan Singh (Punjab Cricket Association), Raghuram Bhat (Karnataka State Cricket Association), and Jaydev Shah (Saurashtra Cricket Association). Their presence has reignited calls for former players to lead the world’s richest cricket body.

Adding further intrigue is Kiran More, the ex-wicketkeeper and current Baroda Cricket Association secretary, who, despite not being a listed state representative, could still enter the fray through a special provision. A former India selector and now General Manager of the MI Women’s WPL team, More is viewed as a strong cricketing and administrative candidate.

Speculation over little master Sachin Tendulkar was quickly quashed, with the legendary batter ruling himself out.