The International Cricket Council Board will finalise the nomination process for the election of the Independent Chair at its virtual meeting, scheduled for today (Monday).
The meeting will set the process in motion to find the successor of Shashank Manohar, who had declined to seek a third successive term and stepped down from the office last month.
“The meeting only has a nomination process on the agenda. Normally, it is a two-week window that is provided for filing nominations,” news agency PTI has reported a senior Board member as saying.
The election process will reportedly be completed in four weeks’ time even if the Board has to go for the election process if there is no unanimous choice.
Interim ICC chairman Imran Khawaja from Singapore, who has taken charge after Manohar’s exit; England and Wales Cricket Board chairman ECB head Colin Graves; Cricket South Africa chief Chris Nenzani and former Cricket West Indies chief Dave Cameron can be the likely candidates in the fray.
Graves remains the front runner.
Possibility of Sourav Ganguly joining the race cannot be ruled out if the former India captain fails to get the Supreme Court nod to continue as the Board of Control for Cricket in India president.
As per the present BCCI constitution, Ganguly has completed his term on July 27 and he needs to demit the office in the absence of a favourable order from the court.
The BCCI General Body in December last year had resolved to amend the clause governing the tenure and cooling-off period for the board president and the secretary.
The present rule states that the elected representatives can serve up to two successive terms or six years in the State or the national cricket bodies (including combined).
The constitution also makes it mandatory for the board to take the Supreme Court nod for amending its constitution.
GANGULY HAS TIME IN HAND
The matter is listed in the Supreme Court for August 17, Monday. Thus Ganguly will have enough time to contemplate his next move if there is no instant relief from the Apex Court.
The ICC process will allow two weeks’ time to file nominations. That will allow Ganguly and the BCCI sufficient time to take a call.
However, staying in the BCCI remains the first priority for Ganguly, who had earlier said that he has earlier said that at the age of 48 he has enough time to think about the ICC Chair.
SUPPORT FOR GANGULY
Though the Ganguly and the BCCI have not revealed their plans, Ganguly has attracted good vocal support from the cricketing fraternity worldwide for his elevation to the ICC chair.
The people backing him include former South African skipper Graeme Smith, who is a Director of Cricket in the Cricket South Africa and the former Sri Lankan skipper, and the MCC president Kumar Sanagakkara.