Outgoing Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has decided to file his nomination for the president’s post at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
The CAB annual general meeting is slated for October 31 and the last date for filing nominations is October 22.
The former India captain confirmed his intentions during a visit to Eden Gardens on Saturday evening. “Yes, I will contest,” Sourav said at the Dr B.C. Roy Club House.
His unceremonious exit from the BCCI had led to speculation that he might not continue in cricket administration. But Saturday’s announcement is sure to make the powers-that-be in the BCCI sit up and take notice.
Sourav will be present at the BCCI’s annual general meeting in Mumbai on Tuesday. He had been at the CAB — first as secretary and then as president — for more than five years before moving to the BCCI in October 2019 and is eligible to continue for another three-year term.
While Roger Binny is set to take over as BCCI president, there is still a cloud of uncertainty over whether the Board will nominate Sourav’s name for the International Cricket Council’s chair. There has been no indication from the current dispensation at the Board that his name will be proposed at the AGM.
Sourav’s elder brother and CAB secretary Snehasish Ganguly was set to be the ruling group’s nominee for the president’s post but once the opposition gave indications of putting up a candidate, Sourav decided to throw his hat into the ring.
Sourav’s panel is yet to be finalised but his presence has almost made it clear that there will be no contest for any post.
Former CAB secre - tary Biswarup Dey had also launched a personal attack on Sourav on social media which is learnt to have not gone down well in several quarters.
“It is unlikely that the BCCI will have a change of heart and propose his name for the ICC chair. Not much should be read into current treasurer Arun Dhumal’s praise of Sourav’s deeds as president,” a source told The Telegraph.
It is still uncertain whether Snehasish and Debabrata Das will continue as secretary and joint secretary. Outgoing CAB chief Avishek Dalmiya is learnt to have thrown his weight behind Sourav. Former India opener Arun Lal may be put up for vice-president.
