Greg Barclay has announced that he will step down as ICC Chairman on November 30, marking the end of his current term. This decision has sparked discussions regarding BCCI Secretary Jay Shah potentially taking over the position in the near future.
In an official statement, the ICC confirmed, “ICC Chair Greg Barclay informed the Board that he will not seek a third term and will step down when his current tenure concludes at the end of November. Barclay was first appointed as Independent ICC Chair in November 2020 and was re-elected in 2022.” The statement further added, “Directors are now required to submit nominations for the next Chair by August 27, 2024. If more than one candidate is nominated, an election will be conducted, with the new Chair’s term starting on December 1, 2024.”
Under the revised ICC rules for chairmanship elections, the process involves 16 voting members, and a simple majority of nine votes (51%) is sufficient to elect a winner. Previously, a two-thirds majority was required. Jay Shah, currently serving as the head of ICC’s influential Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) subcommittee, is seen as a strong contender due to his extensive influence and rapport with most of the 16 voting members.
Jay Shah on the Brink of Making History
At just 35 years old, Shah could potentially become the youngest ICC Chairman in history, placing him among prominent Indians like Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar, who have held the position in the past.
However, according to the BCCI constitution approved by the Supreme Court, an office bearer can serve for six consecutive years before being required to take a three-year cooling-off period. Overall, an individual can serve a total of 18 years—nine at the state association level and nine in the BCCI. If Shah decides to assume the ICC chairmanship with a year still remaining in his term as BCCI Secretary, he will still have four years left in the BCCI upon completing his international role.