Former India pacer Roger Binny is no longer the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Rajeev Shukla, who was serving as Vice-President, has now taken charge as the acting chief. He will remain in this role until the next elections are held.
Sponsorship Becomes a Big Challenge for BCCI
According to a Dainik Jagran report, the BCCI Apex Council held a meeting on Wednesday under Shukla’s leadership. The main topic was sponsorship. Dream11 has ended its contract with the board. Now, BCCI needs a new sponsor for the next two-and-a-half years.
The timing, however, is tricky. The Asia Cup is set to begin on September 10, leaving the board with less than two weeks to find a replacement. A senior official said that floating a new tender and completing all legal and technical steps will take time. The board has also ruled out the option of a short-term sponsor only for the Asia Cup. Instead, they want a long-term sponsor until the 2027 ODI World Cup in India.
Meanwhile, the issue of governance is also in focus. Even though the new National Sports Governance Law has been passed, it has not been formally notified yet. This means the BCCI will have to conduct its Annual General Meeting and elections next month under the existing rules. Officials believe it may take four to five more months for the new law to come into effect.
At present, BCCI and state associations are still working under the constitution that was framed after the Supreme Court’s Lodha Committee recommendations. Under these rules, the age cap for office-bearers is 70 years. Also, officials must step down if they have served nine years in total or six continuous years in one post.
Sources said the same rules apply to state associations as well. “If Roger Binny had to step down, then state associations must also follow the same rule,” a board insider said.
