 "Rajeev Shukla can be BCCI's new president, replacing Roger Binny. Image: PTI")
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly set to get a new president as vice-president Rajeev Shukla could replace current head Roger Binny. The Congress leader, Shukla, is expected to take over for three months and stand for the full-time presidency election in the next BCCI Annual General Meeting in September 2025.
Why is Roger Binny leaving BCCI presidency?
The current BCCI president and former Indian all-rounder, Binny, is turning 70 on 10 July of this year and that means he cannot continue to be the head as per the age-cap rule.
The BCCI constitution states that any office-bearer, including the president, needs to exit the office upon reaching the age of 70. The age-cap rule was added to the BCCI constitution during the reforms undertaken by the Justice Lodha Committee.
While Binny will be forced to leave BCCI in July, Shukla has emerged as the natural short-term replacement, considering he is already the vice-president. However, it will be interesting to note if he stands for a full-term election in the September BCCI AGM.
“(Rajeev) Shukla could be replacing (Roger) Binny in July itself. The board officials are already discussing his name,” a senior BCCI official confirmed to CricBlogger.
“Shukla, who currently serves as BCCI vice-president, is a veteran cricket administrator and seasoned politician with prior experience as chairman of IPL,” the source added.
Who is BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla?
Shukla dons multiple hats in life. He was earlier a journalist but now a politician. The 65-year-old Shukla hails from Kanpur and is currently a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Chhattisgarh. He is also a member of the Congress Working Committee. He was also a Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Ministry of Planning between 2011 and 2014.
Shukla also served as the Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman for many years in the past before taking over as the BCCI vice-president in December 2020.