New Delhi: Sourav Ganguly, the outgoing chief of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), will return to the post of President of his state unit Bengal Cricket Association (CAB), PTI reported. The former India captain on Saturday told PTI that he will contest the CAB elections. Ganguly was CAB President between 2015 and 2019 but had to step down from the position before coming to the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI). It is being highly speculated that Ganguly will be replaced by 1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny for the top post.
"Yes, I will be contesting the CAB polls. I plan to file my nomination on October 22. I have been in CAB for five years and as per Lodha rules, I can continue for another four years," Ganguly told PTI.
Discussions were in full swing for Ganguly's elder brother Snehasish to replace Abhishek Dalmiya for the top post, but the nomination of the former Indian player changes a lot of equations.
"I will finalise my panel on October 20. Let's see," Ganguly said.
Those who are tracking the developments feel that a lot will depend on what kind of decisions the powers that be in the BCCI take on the ICC chairmanship during BCCI's Annual General Meeting in Mumbai on 18th October.
"With Sourav, there will always be an element of drama involved. In 2019, he beat Brijesh (Patel) for BCCI president's post in a literal photo finish with power equations changing at last moment," a senior BCCI official and a close witness to the events then told PTI on the condition of anonymity.
"Don't forget that there is an ICC chairman's nomination to be filed on October 20. Whether the powerful people in the BCCI have a change of heart, is the question," he said.
Several media reports had suggested that Ganguly was forced to step down as BCCI chief in acrimonious circumstances, but soon-to-be IPL chairman Arun Dhumal in an interview to PTI rubbished them.
(With PTI Inputs)