Jay Shah likely to be next chairman of International Cricket Council

Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is expected to be the next chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The current ICC chairman Greg Barclay’s tenure ends in November and the ICC has confirmed, through a media release, that Barclay will not stand for a third term.

Although Barclay is eligible for a third term (he was first elected in November 2020 and was later re-elected in 2022), he has decided to not contest for the post for a third time.

“ICC Chair Greg Barclay confirmed to the Board that he will not stand for a third term and will step down from the post when his current tenure finishes at the end of November,” a media statement from ICC read.

With the BCCI having a strong presence and domination in the ICC board, Shah’s elevation now seems a mere formality.

Shah, the son of India’s home minister Amit Shah, is the BCCI-appointed ICC director and the chairperson of the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs sub-committee.

Although Shah’s elevation is expected to be a unanimous decision, all the 16 current ICC directors will have to file nominations for Barclay’s successor by August 27.

However, if there are multiple nominations, an election will be conducted. The new chairman will take office from December 1, 2024. A candidate needs to get nine votes out of the 16 to assume office.

It is learnt that Shah has the backing of the Australian Cricket Board and the England Cricket Board, who after the BCCI, have a big say in ICC.

At 35-years-old Shah will be the youngest to assume the role of a chairman in ICC. He will be the fifth Indian after Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan and Shashank Manohar to chair the cricket’s global body.

If Shah is elected to the ICC, he will have to resign as the secretary of the BCCI.