According to a report by the Indian Express, legendary Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has been nominated by the Punjab Association as a representative for a position as a BCCI office bearer. This nomination comes amid anticipation for new appointments across several roles within the BCCI at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for September 28.
Harbhajan Singh to become BCCI's new president
Harbhajan, a veteran of 103 Tests and 236 ODIs, had a decorated career, taking 417 Test wickets and 269 wickets in the 50-over format. He was also a key member of the victorious squads for the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ICC World Cup.
The BCCI is set to hold fresh elections for the Apex Council and the IPL Governing Council members. The AGM's primary agenda includes the induction of new office bearers, including the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, and Treasurer. The board will also be electing one representative from the general body to the Apex Council and two representatives to the IPL Governing Council. This trend of appointing former players to administrative roles within the BCCI has become more common since the tenure of Sourav Ganguly.
Harbhajan, who is also a former member of the Rajya Sabha and previously served as an advisor to the Punjab Cricket Association, will represent his home state's association. He joins a list of notable nominees, including former captain Sourav Ganguly, who has been nominated by the Cricket Association of Bengal to continue in his role, which he has held since 2019.
Harbhajan, who previously served as a member of the Rajya Sabha and an advisor to the PCA through his affiliation with the Aam Aadmi Party, will now represent the PCA at the upcoming BCCI elections.
According to a recent circular sent to all state associations, the deadline for submitting nominations was September 12, with candidates having the option to withdraw their names by September 23. While the elections are scheduled for September 28, the window for nominations has been set between November 20 and 21. This marks a significant shift, as elections for these positions have not taken place for over a decade, with candidates typically being selected through mutual discussions.
Several other state associations have also nominated their representatives. The Karnataka State Cricket Association has chosen Raghuram Bhatt, while the Mumbai Cricket Association nominated Sanjay Naik. Himachal Pradesh will be represented by former IPL chairman Arun Dhumal, and interim BCCI President Rajeev Shukla will represent the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association. Additionally, Jaydev Shah was nominated by the Saurashtra Cricket Association, Pranav Amin by Baroda, and RI Palani, the secretary, by Tamil Nadu.