- Joined
- 6 Oct 2013
- Messages
- 4,888
- Reaction score
- 3,012
Less than 24 hours after Shashank Manohar resigned from Board of Control for Cricket in India's top post, Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke emerged as the frontrunners to succeed the Nagpur-based lawyer as president of the world's richest cricket body. Thakur, a BJP Member of Parliament and the sitting BCCI secretary, is in pole position to take over the reins of Indian cricket at the ensuing Special General Meeting, likely to be summoned in the last week of this month.
Shirke, a former BCCI treasurer and the president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, has the right credentials as well as the experience to head the BCCI but may fall short in the numbers game as Thakur is likely to walk away with the 'BJP votes'. For the record, BJP, the principal ruling party at the Centre, can influence at least 10 of the 30 votes in the 31-member BCCI house where the Rajasthan Cricket Association remains suspended.
Shirke, a trusted lieutenant of former presidents Sharad Pawar and Manohar, has his backers in the cricket Board, but will have to work overtime to whip up the support of 16 units that translates into a simple majority in what appears to be a two-horse race. Thakur appears to have the numerical edge over Shirke, but the fact that the Board secretary could not host Pakistan's WT20 matches at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association ground in Dharamshala, his home turf, will weigh heavily against him.
Thakur, though, is in no mood to relent. At 41, Thakur is 16 years junior to Shirke (57) and will be BCCI's youngest president if elected at the SGM. Shirke's seniority and experience may count for little in a vote-driven BCCI that pays scant respect to able administrators.
Efforts are, however, on to avoid an election with senior Board members - past and present - getting involved to project a unanimous choice for the top post. Indications are that Shirke may be persuaded to accept either the secretary's post or made the IPL chairman, paving the way for Thakur's coronation. If Shirke agrees to be the secretary, an election can be avoided as Thakur can nominate the Maharashtra chief for the post he vacates when he becomes the president.
However, if Shirke chooses to withdraw from the race for the presidential post altogether and also spurns the secretaryship, Rajeev Shukla could be the direct beneficiary. Shukla is now the IPL chairman, a post he held even in 2013 when the betting and spot-fixing scandal broke out.
The secretary's post is a crucial one in the BCCI and whoever fills the void will have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility of implementing Lodha committee's recommendations over the next 12 months or so. These are early days, though. Minor twists and turns cannot be ruled out.
http://m.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/79885/bcci-mulls-anurag-thakur-as-president-shirke-as-secretary
Shirke, a former BCCI treasurer and the president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, has the right credentials as well as the experience to head the BCCI but may fall short in the numbers game as Thakur is likely to walk away with the 'BJP votes'. For the record, BJP, the principal ruling party at the Centre, can influence at least 10 of the 30 votes in the 31-member BCCI house where the Rajasthan Cricket Association remains suspended.
Shirke, a trusted lieutenant of former presidents Sharad Pawar and Manohar, has his backers in the cricket Board, but will have to work overtime to whip up the support of 16 units that translates into a simple majority in what appears to be a two-horse race. Thakur appears to have the numerical edge over Shirke, but the fact that the Board secretary could not host Pakistan's WT20 matches at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association ground in Dharamshala, his home turf, will weigh heavily against him.
Thakur, though, is in no mood to relent. At 41, Thakur is 16 years junior to Shirke (57) and will be BCCI's youngest president if elected at the SGM. Shirke's seniority and experience may count for little in a vote-driven BCCI that pays scant respect to able administrators.
Efforts are, however, on to avoid an election with senior Board members - past and present - getting involved to project a unanimous choice for the top post. Indications are that Shirke may be persuaded to accept either the secretary's post or made the IPL chairman, paving the way for Thakur's coronation. If Shirke agrees to be the secretary, an election can be avoided as Thakur can nominate the Maharashtra chief for the post he vacates when he becomes the president.
However, if Shirke chooses to withdraw from the race for the presidential post altogether and also spurns the secretaryship, Rajeev Shukla could be the direct beneficiary. Shukla is now the IPL chairman, a post he held even in 2013 when the betting and spot-fixing scandal broke out.
The secretary's post is a crucial one in the BCCI and whoever fills the void will have to shoulder the bulk of the responsibility of implementing Lodha committee's recommendations over the next 12 months or so. These are early days, though. Minor twists and turns cannot be ruled out.
http://m.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/79885/bcci-mulls-anurag-thakur-as-president-shirke-as-secretary
