Speculations about BCCI president Sourav Ganguly becoming the next ICC president have been rife ever since former ICC chairman and countryman Shashank Manohar decided to go against a third term in the office.
The speculations gained momentum after former cricketers like David Gower and Graeme Smith hailed Sourav Ganguly’s leadership qualities and backed him for the position at the world body. In a matter of days, Ganguly had easily pipped The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) former chairman Colin Graves as the number one contender for the coveted post.
But Sourav Ganguly has different notions as he realises the roles in ICC have changed. BCCI restrains any of its members to hold two posts in the board but sets them free from holding any position outside but on the contrary ICC does not give this leverage. An ICC chairman has to abandon his previous roles before taking up the office. Sourav Ganguly while talking to India Today’s Consulting Editor Boria Majumdar said that his future as ICC chairman depends totally on the decision of BCCI.
“I don’t know. At the end of the day, it depends on your board. It’s a decision which is jointly taken by the board. And the roles in ICC have changed. If you are an ICC independent chairman, you have to give up the position in your respective board. It’s not the same as before where you could hold both the positions. And it’s not a change from BCCI, it’s a change from ICC.
“The current BCCI constitution allows you to hold a post. You are not allowed to hold 2 posts in the BCCI but you’re allowed to hold a post in the BCCI and in whatever, wether it’s the ACC or the ICC. But the ICC does not allow,” Ganguly said.
The former Indian captain added that he was not sure if it was the right time to leave BCCI during these extraordinary times because of the coronavirus pandemic. Ganguly, who recently turned 48, said that he was in no hurry to become the ICC president as he was young and could take the job later.
Sourav Ganguly also added that he will always know a bit more than other administrators because of his time spent as a sportsperson.
“I don’t know whether it is right at this stage or whether I will be allowed at this stage to leave BCCI in the middle of all this. So don’t know. That’s where it stands. And I am in no hurry. I am young and you don’t do this forever. These are honorary jobs that you do once in a lifetime. If you look at all the great administrators, they have all had 1, 1 terms.
“So when it comes to sport, I will know it a bit more than the others because I have spent my life in sport. And that’s what it is. Where we go when you go to the ICC or the ACC, you represent your board. So the decision has to come from everyone,” Sourav Ganguly concluded.
