MUMBAI: World Cup winner Roger Binny was Tuesday appointed head of India’s cricket board — the sport’s richest body — replacing Sourav Ganguly after he was reportedly forced out in a political tussle.
Binny, 67, was elected president at a meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in Mumbai, where secretary Jay Shah won another term in office, vice-president Rajeev Shukla told reporters.
The BCCI, which has a net worth reported at $2 billion, has been in chaos and there have been a slew of court cases involving the powerful organisation.
Bangalore-born Binny, who was part of India’s historic 1983 World Cup-winning squad, steps into the shoes of Ganguly, widely regarded as one of cricket’s greatest captains.
Ganguly, 50, had initially been tipped to earn a second term as president but reports said he was shunted out because he refused to join India’s ruling party – BJP.
Ganguly is widely regarded as one of India’s greatest captains and has been in charge of the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the past three years.
But Ganguly, 50, is said to have declined to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Hence, 1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny filed his nomination to replace Ganguly and will likely be elected unopposed next week, board vice-president Rajeev Shukla told reporters.
Politicians from Ganguly’s home state of West Bengal alleged that the former batsman was forced out.
It was a “political vendetta” by the government, opposition lawmaker Santanu Sen said on Twitter.
“We are with you Dada!” he added, referring to Ganguly by his nickname.
Ganguly’s political allegiance has been a regular source of media speculation in recent months and the country’s home minister Amit Shah visited him at home earlier this year.
India’s top court recently relaxed a rule that barred sporting officials from consecutive terms in office in the same position, opening the way for Shah’s son Jay — the BCCI secretary — and Ganguly to seek reappointment.
The BJP has denied involvement in the board’s looming vote and accused its opponents of politicising the issue.
“Sourav Ganguly is a cricketing legend. Some people are now shedding crocodile tears about the changes in BCCI,” said the party’s vice-president Dilip Ghosh.
Current BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal, younger brother of the country’s sports minister Anurag Thakur, is expected to be elected chairman of the Indian Premier League.
