BCCI Secretary Jay Shah is poised to potentially become the next ICC Chairman, though it’s unclear if he will file his nomination for the position. With strong backing from 15 of the 16 ICC board members, Shah has a favorable chance, but he must decide within 24 hours, as the nomination deadline is August 27. This raises the question of who might succeed Shah in the BCCI.
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, Rohan Jaitley, president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), is the leading candidate to replace Shah as BCCI Secretary, with widespread support within the Indian board.
Rohan Jaitley, born in New Delhi, is the son of the late Arun Jaitley, a prominent politician and former Finance Minister of India. Following his father’s path, Rohan became a lawyer, specializing in cases before the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court. Earlier this year, he was appointed as a Central Government Standing Counsel for the Delhi High Court.
Rohan entered cricket administration around four years ago when he was elected as the new president of the DDCA, a position his father held for 14 years. This year, he was re-elected unopposed for a second term. During his tenure, Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium hosted five ODI World Cup matches last year, and this year, he successfully organized the inaugural Delhi Premier League, featuring players like Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma.
In addition to his administrative experience, Rohan’s strong candidacy is bolstered by his father Arun Jaitley’s significant influence within the BCCI, where he once served as vice-president.
As Shah has yet to decide on filing for the ICC chairmanship, there is no official confirmation regarding his successor as BCCI Secretary. However, a PTI report suggested that Rohan’s main competitors might include former CAB president Avishek Dalmiya and other young state unit officials like Punjab’s Dilsher Khanna, Goa’s Vipul Phadke, and Chhattisgarh’s Prabhtej Bhatia, a former IPL Governing Council member.
A former BCCI Secretary commented on the possibility of a new face being appointed to the role: “Obviously, it can happen as there are no hard and fast rules. But if you look at BCCI’s power structure, president, secretary, and treasurer are three key posts. There are people who have been in the system, and someone just coming and bypassing them normally doesn’t happen. But first, is Jay ready to go to the ICC? Even if he doesn’t go now, he can go anytime.”
