The surprising development came after BCCI’s senior administrators and top decision-makers convened for an extensive meeting in New Delhi on Saturday.

Mithun Manhas Emerges as Frontrunner for BCCI President

In a shock twist, former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas has stormed into pole position for the role of BCCI president after seasoned administrators and key decision-makers held an elaborate meeting in New Delhi on Saturday. The meeting aimed to finalize candidates for vacant positions in the Indian board ahead of the annual general meeting on September 28.

According to a PTI report, contenders for various roles, including Manhas and Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president Raghuram Bhatt, were summoned for the meeting. However, it is Manhas who has emerged as the leading candidate to take over as the new BCCI president.

Although he never represented India at the international level, Manhas has an impressive domestic career with 157 first-class matches, scoring 9,714 runs at an average of 45 with 27 centuries. He also played 130 List A and 91 T20 matches for Delhi, along with stints in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, and Pune Warriors. Additionally, he served as director of cricket operations with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).

Bhatt, a former India spinner and current KSCA president, is expected to secure one of the vacant roles in the BCCI. However, with his current tenure at KSCA ending on September 30, he may not contest the state association’s upcoming elections in October or November.

BCCI AGM Updates and Key Appointments

The news agency could not confirm whether former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly, who will be representing the Cricket Association of Bengal in the AGM, was part of the meeting. However, it confirmed that former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, nominated as the Punjab Cricket Association’s representative, was not present on Saturday.

The report further stated that former India wicketkeeper Kiran More is being considered for one of the vacant posts in the Indian board. The ruling BJP is reportedly keen on including more sportspersons in significant BCCI roles. Meanwhile, the board is searching for a successor to president Roger Binny and a new IPL chairman, as incumbent Arun Dhumal is set for a mandatory cool-off period after completing six years in office.

Additionally, it has been almost finalized that former India bowler Pragyan Ojha will replace S Sharath in the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee, while ex-pacer RP Singh will succeed Subroto Banerjee. The newly appointed selectors will officially take charge on September 28, with the upcoming West Indies Test series at home as their first assignment.