Reports: Three contenders in the running for the post of BCCI President

Ever since Shashank Manohar decided to relinquish his post as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), rumours about his possible replacements have been doing the rounds. According to the Mumbai Mirror, Ajay Shirke of Maharashtra, G Gangaraju of Andhra and the IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla are the three men in contention for the top post.

However, Mr. Shirke, who is the head of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, denied the speculations a week ago, “There are several reports doing the rounds, but I can assure you that I had no meeting or any sort of communication with Manohar. I haven’t tried to communicate with anyone either,” reported the Hindustan Times.

According to the reports by the Mumbai Mirror, Shirke is a strong contender for the post as he has been associated with the BCCI for a long time and he even supervised BCCI's legal battle in the Supreme Court against the Lodha Committee. The reports also suggested that he might get the support of Ex-BCCI president Sharad Pawar who still is a force to reckon with inside the cauldrons of the BCCI.

G. Gangaraju, who was recently elected the BCCI Vice-President (South Zone), was a contender for the post last time as well. The Secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association can be promoted up the hierarchy this time around but his age is not on his side. The 69-year-old's active association with politics can also come in his way of becoming the president of the apex body.

Rajeev Shukla, who has been associated with the BCCI for a long time, is also in the fray. The long-time servant, who is the head of the cash-rich IPL, is a very popular member and enjoys a lot of confidence among the members.

The uncertainty over the issue will only clear once Manohar formally tenders his resignation. According to some of Manohar’s friends, the reigning International Cricket Council(ICC) chairman could make his decision public anytime soon. Earlier it was reported that the Nagpur-based lawyer could offer his resignation somewhere around the middle of May.

Shashank Manohar, who took over the reins of the BCCI after the demise of erstwhile BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmia last year, could become ICC's first ever independent chairman in May 2016. If elected as the ICC's first ever independent chairman, Manohar will be eligible to hold the coveted post till 2021.

According to a close colleague of Manohar at the BCCI, “In the present scenario, he (Shashank Manohar) knows he can't do much in the BCCI with the way the Supreme Court is viewing things.”

The source also added, “The ICC post gives him a stable five-year window and an opportunity to make history as possibly the administrator who brought all countries (member boards of the ICC) together, and struck off the so-called monopoly of the Big Three. Look how the West Indies and Pakistan boards have already started praising him for what he's done.”

It will be interesting to see who replaces Manohar and becomes the president of the apex body.