Who will be the new ICC Chairman?

ICC Chairmans term ends this June’20

• It is very important to have the right person as head of the ICC: Graeme Smith
• In October last year, for a month of nine months, Sourav Ganguly unanimously elected as BCCI president.
• BCCI has already sought the Supreme Court’s approval to extend Ganguly’s tenure till 2024

Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of Cricket Graeme Smith expressed his support for BCCI president Sourav Ganguly taking over the ICC chairmanship after Shashank Manohar’s term ends this June 2020. He feels cricket’s governing body needs “strong leadership” once the sport resumes after the coronavirus crisis.

Ganguly was unanimously elected as the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in October last year. The board has already sought the Supreme Court’s approval to water down administrative reforms on the tenure cap for its office-bearers.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, Cricket has been put on hold. The International Cricket Council is trying to work out solutions for the resumption of cricket and is holding regular meetings regarding the subject. All eyes are on India for getting cricket back on its track as they are the financial powerhouses of the sport. Countries like Australia and South Africa are looking for India to tour their countries to give them a financial boost.

CEO Jacques Faul backed Smith’s comment at a teleconference. “He understands it & has played it at the highest level. He is respected, and his leadership will be the key to us going forward,” said Smith.

“I think leadership in our sport going forward is going to be key and I think having someone at a level that understands the modern game and the challenges we are going to face going forward emphasizes more the people that get put into key positions,” Smith said.

Faul said CSA had always worked closely with India. “I think India must play a leadership role when it comes to the Future Tours Programme and a responsible one. Our engagement with Saurav has been very positive in his willingness to help us.”

CSA’s backing of Ganguly comes right after former England captain David Gower’s comments that the former India captain has the right mindset. “Having dealt with Sourav for a long time, I think that the President of the ICC now becomes a very key position. Going forward in terms of how the game can progress at the right level, he has the political acumen to become ICC president.

As per the current constitution, an office-bearer who has served two three-year terms, either at the BCCI or at the state association, goes into a compulsory three-year cooling-off period.

Ganguly, who took charge on October 23, was to vacate office next year but a dilution could see him continue till 2024. “He is a very, very good man and has those political skills,” Gower had said. England and Wales Cricket Board’s former chairman Colin Graves was the favorite to succeed Manohar but Smith’s comment has given an interesting twist.

Sourav Ganguly’s years as captain of the Indian team had many great moments but the one that stands out for many is him waving his shirt over his head on the balcony of the Lord’s after Mohammad Kaif led India to a dramatic win over England in the final of the Natwest series in 2002.

Fans on Twitter remembered that moment once again when Ganguly posted photos of him “fixing” a mango tree from his balcony in Kolkata after Cyclone Amphan. Sourav Ganguly said, “The mango tree in the house had to be lifted, pulled back and fixed again strength at its highest,”