It maybe too early to make a prediction but BCCI in India is reportedly backing its former president for the coveted post that will fall vacant when Malcolm Speed’s term ends.
Indian Board plans to forward the name of its former president for the key ICC job
MUMBAI: Is Inderjit Singh Bindra in line to be the next Chief Executive Officer of the International Cricket Council? It maybe too early to make a prediction but the Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) in India is reportedly backing its former president for the coveted post that will fall vacant when Malcolm Speed’s term comes to an end in June-July 2008.
At least two top officials of the BCCI have confirmed to DNA that they would be backing the Punjab Cricket Association president, who one may recall, missed out on being the president in 1997. “Yes, there is a chance that he could become the next CEO,” said a top functionary of the Board. “We’ll back him if he shows interest.” Bindra has vast administrative expertise, thanks to his IAS background. He is a regular BCCI representative at ICC meetings and is a close confidante of the BCCI president Sharad Pawar.
The BCCI has been vocal in its criticism of Speed’s style of functioning. It may be recalled that an official of the Indian Board went on record stating that they were contemplating moving a no-confidence motion against the CEO after the fiasco during the World Cup final.
There were also reports that Pawar and England’s David Morgan worked out an arrangement to ease out Speed from the post. Coincidentally, Speed expressed willingness to relinquish the post in 2008 immediately after Pawar and Morgan reached at a power-sharing agreement for the ICC presidents’ post. Both Pawar and Morgan, besides present ICC president Ray Mali and Cricket Australia president Creagh O’Conner are on the committee recently appointed by to find a successor to Speed. The ICC also appointed a reputed recruitment company Egon Zehnder to suggest potential candidates to the ICC committee. The appointment is expected to be finalised before 2008 March and the next CEO will take over after the ICC’s annual conference in June-July next year.
Another reason behind BCCI’s endorsement of Bindra’s candidature is that when the sub-continent hosts the World Cup in 2011, an Indian would be holding the key post of the governing body.
Pawar himself would be heading the ICC as the president. If Pawar and Bindra end up holding the two posts, it will not be for the first time that the two top officials are from the same country. Malcolm Gray and Speed - both Australians — held the posts between 2000-2003. Bindra himself was unwilling to comment about his interest in the job. “Not to my knowledge,” he said when contacted. Bindra could face some serious contest from potential candidates like James Sutherland of Australia, Gerard Majola of South Africa and even Ramiz Raja of Pakistan.
According to ICC sources Ravi Shastri is also one of the candidates who could be in the fray. One handicap for Bindra could be his age. Bindra is already 67 and Speed, who just about is 60, is relinquishing the post. The CEO’s post is a high profile assignment with a responsibility to handle a budget of $1 billion. The CEO himself would be entitled to half a million dollars per year.
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