BCCI Elections 2025: President’s Chair Wide Open, IPL Chair In Flux, And A Push For A Cricketer Of Stature

The BCCI’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in the last week of September is set to decide a new leadership slate, with the president’s post and the IPL chairman’s chair among the headline vacancies. With Roger Binny having crossed the age limit of 70 in July, he cannot be re‑elected under the current constitution. There is no consensus favourite yet, and the field remains fluid as stakeholders weigh experience, optics, and constitutional constraints.

What’s officially on the table

• President’s post: Vacant after Binny hit the age bar. Decision-makers are keen on a former India player “of distinction,” continuing the recent trend of cricketers serving in the top job. The challenge is interest: the role is honorary, high-pressure, and time-intensive, which limits the number of ex-players willing to take it.

• IPL chairman: Arun Dhumal has completed six cumulative years in office (as treasurer and later IPL chairman) and is widely expected to face a mandatory three-year cooling-off. Names circulating as potential successors include Sanjay Naik (former MCA secretary) and Rajeev Shukla (current BCCI vice-president). Nothing is final till filings and internal alignments are done.

• Continuity elsewhere: Devajit Saikia, who has completed three cumulative years (joint secretary and secretary), is expected to continue at present. First-year office-bearers such as joint secretary Rohan Gauns Desai and treasurer Prabhtej Bhatia remain within term windows.

Age and cooling-off Rules

• Age limit: The constitution bars re-appointment beyond the age of 70 for BCCI office-bearers, which is why Binny must vacate.

• Cooling-off: After two consecutive terms (state plus BCCI combined) adding up to six years, a mandatory cooling-off of three years applies. This provision could shift the deck chairs for roles like IPL chairman and secretary.

• Possible law overlay: If the proposed National Sports Governance Act comes into force before the next AGM cycle, some cooling-off calculations could change. For now, the current BCCI constitution remains the operative rulebook.

President: the “cricketer of repute” preference

Stakeholders have increasingly signalled a preference for a high-profile former India cricketer as president—mirroring the Sourav Ganguly and Roger Binny precedents. It helps optics, simplifies cricket-facing decisions, and keeps the top office anchored in on-field credibility. The sticking point is availability and willingness. The role is honorary, and ex-players with business, commentary, mentoring, or global league commitments may hesitate to take on a full-time governance post with strict compliance obligations.

With record media rights, multi-league intersections, and new compliance frameworks, the IPL chair is among the most consequential jobs in Indian sport. If Dhumal heads to a cooling-off, the successor must bring political navigation, commercial acumen, and dressing-room empathy. Rajeev Shukla’s name circulates given his experience; Sanjay Naik has emerged in corridor talk. A final call typically reflects a blend of zone balance, past BCCI tenure, and the ability to steer broadcast/sponsor relationships.

What could shape outcomes

• Mutual-consent pathway: Many cycles end in consensus rather than ballot, avoiding contest optics. If stakeholders agree on a cricketer-president, the rest of the slate is often negotiated around that choice.

• Zone and tenure math: Zone rotation conventions and cumulative tenure logs still matter in backroom math, even if they’re not explicit in public narratives.

• Calendar pressure: With Asia Cup, home season logistics, and election timelines tight, the board benefits from a stable slate with minimal churn.

What’s unlikely to change now

• Only a couple of vacancies are expected to be filled immediately; most office-bearers within their term windows are set to continue.

• The constitutional guardrails on age and cooling-off are expected to be applied as-is at this AGM, unless a notified law intervenes—an unlikely event before end-September.

What's next?

• President: Whether a decorated former India player agrees to take the honorary post. If not, an experienced administrator could step in.

• IPL chair: Whether Dhumal’s cooling-off is confirmed and, if so, who is elevated—Shukla, Naik, or another consensus candidate.

• Secretary/Vice-President: Signals of continuity for Devajit Saikia; potential vice-president shuffle if the IPL chair shifts trigger knock-on adjustments.