Sourav Ganguly, Shashank Manohar get top jobs
Though procedurally-mandated elections are yet to be held, the leadership vacuum created in Indian cricket administration following the demise of Jagmohan Dalmiya, seems to have been filled. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is all set to take over Dalmiya's position at the Cricket Administration of Bengal while Mr Shashank Manohar is expected to succeed the legendary sports administrator at the Board of Cricket Control in India. Mr Ganguly had emerged as the frontrunner within days of Dalmiya's passing and there was no looking back in his case once West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had strongly and publicly favoured his candidature.
Mr Manohar came up a little later, possibly because, according to some news reports, he was reluctant to take on the top job. Nevertheless, what is of greater import here is that both men are consensus candidates. At the CAB, it seems like no other candidate, apart from Mr Ganguly, was even given a serious consideration. He had already been serving as Joint Secretary and his elevation seemed natural. At the BCCI, Mr Manohar has received the support of rival factions led by former Union Minister Sharad Paward and lok Sabha MP Anurag Thakur respectively. It is expected that when the BCCI presidential election is held, he will get at least 15 of the 29 votes, ensuring a simple majority for himself. That both Mr Ganguly and Mr Manohar have wide-ranging support is noteworthy because they will both be taking the lead at a time when Indian cricket administration has been beset by factionalism. Of course, internal politics is seen across the board in every field, but the men’s general acceptability ensures that they get to start on a strong footing.
Moreover, outside of the politics, both Mr Ganguly and Mr Manohar generally well-suited for their positions. The former, of course, brings his top class cricketing skills to the table but will also be adding his business acumen, political tact and daring temperament to the mix. His career on the field has proven that he is a team-builder, willing to take risks and go that extra mile. Off the field, he has proven his knack for business — he runs his own cricket academy and owns a football team. Equally important, over the years, Mr Ganguly has managed to keep good relations with most powerful stakeholders — be they in cricket, politics or business. Of course, it is still entirely possible that he may not succeed at the CAB, especially if the cricket administration careers of some other players are anything to go by, but for now, there is reason enough to hope for the best. As for Mr Manohar, he has two big positives: First, his experience as president between 2008 and 2011, when he performed reasonably well. Second, his reputation as ‘Mr Clean’ which will be a huge asset at a time when the BCCI is fighting huge corruption scandals and the public is demanding that the Board become more accountable and transparent.