Published 12:43 IST, January 12th 2025
Former Assam Cricketer Devajit Saikia Replaces Jay Shah As The New BCCI Secretary
Devajit Saikia has replaced Jay Shah as the new BCCI Secretary. Saikia is also a former Assam cricketer and has had careers in law and administration
Devajit Saikia has been appointed as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary. Saikia replaces Jay Shah who has now become the International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman. The decision was taken after the BCCI's Special General Meeting (SGM) that was held on January 12, 2025. Shah was elected the unopposed International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman last year in August last year and assumed charge on December 1, 2024.
Roger Binny, the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had previously appointed Saikia as the interim secretary of the board. Binny, as the BCCI president had applied his special powers given in the constitution. 'The President shall, in the event of a vacancy, or indisposition of an office-bearer, delegate the functions to another Office-Bearer, delegate the functions to another Office-Bearer, until the vacancy is duly filled up, or the indisposition ceases', says the BCCI constitution.
Saikia Addresses Indian Cricket's Slump
Saikia had already undertaken his first task before being elected as the unopposed BCCI secretary. Saikia had attended a meeting alongside Roger Binny to discuss India's performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia. Several media reports say that Indian captain Rohit Sharma and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir had attended the meeting, but there were no hasty decisions that were taken.
‘There was a detailed discussion on the Border Gavaskar Trophy performance and what all went wrong and the course correction required. But do not expect a hurried decision from the new dispensation of BCCI’, a source privy to developments in the Board told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
BCCI Holds Crucial SGM Meeting
The BCCI constitution stipulates that any post lying vacant should be filled within 45 days by calling a SGM meeting that is well within that period, holding on the 43rd day. Bhatia filed the nomination for the treasurer’s post after incumbent Ashish Shelar took oath as a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government recently.
(With PTI Inputs)
Updated 14:13 IST, January 12th 2025