ISLAMABAD – Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is poised to take over asthe president of the country’s cricket board as nominations close on Mondayfor elections to the game’s wealthiest and most powerful body.
Ganguly, 47, emerged as the only candidate for the top post after a meetingin Mumbai on Sunday, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sourcetold *AFP*.
One of the most successful national captains in the sport, Ganguly retiredfrom Test cricket in 2008 having accumulated 7,212 runs.
Last month he was re-elected president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.
Brijesh Patel, a former India batsman and experienced administrator, islikely to become chairman of the Indian Premier League, the board’slucrative Twenty20 competition.
Jay Shah, son of India’s home minister Amit Shah, is tipped for thesecretary’s post.
Monday is the last day for filing nominations before BCCI elections areheld on October 23.
Cricket’s massive popularity in India has helped the BCCI become thewealthiest of all of the sport’s national boards, racking in large sums ofmoney from sponsorship and TV deals.
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But it has also been embroiled in legal battles and a series of scandals,including accusations of corruption and match-fixing in the IPL.
Ganguly told the *Press Trust of India* news agency on Monday that hispriority as president would be to polish BCCI’s image.
“I am taking over at a time when BCCI has not been in greatest of positionfor the last three years. Its image has got hampered quite a lot. It’s agreat opportunity for me to do something good,” he said.
“Financially, India is a cricketing powerhouse, so it will be a challenge,”Ganguly added.
India, the world’s number one-ranked Test team, is currently playing a homeTest series against South Africa. -APP/AFP
