Shashank Manohar, who was unanimously elected president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday, vowed to restore the governing body’s image after a string of corruption scandals over the past few years.
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The Nagpur-based lawyer, 58, succeeds veteran administrator Jagmohan Dalmiya, who died last month, in what is arguably the most powerful job in world cricket.
Manohar, who had earlier served as BCCI president between 2008 and 2011, will remain at the helm for two years.
Dalmiya’s death had triggered a bitter succession battle within the faction-ridden BCCI, with former chief Sharad Pawar a key contender for the post.
But Pawar, a veteran politician, backed out of the race after reportedly being opposed by the nation’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. It paved the way for Manohar to emerge as a consensus candidate in the election held during a special general body meeting of the board in Mumbai on Sunday.
Manohar, who has a squeaky-clean image and a no-nonsense approach to cricket administration, will be charged with restoring the BCCI’s credibility. He is an exception among power-hungry officials in the chaotic and often turbulent world of the cash-rich BCCI.
Manohar hates being in the spotlight and is often regarded as a recluse who is known to shun mobile phones and even a watch. He did not possess a passport until he was required to travel abroad to attend meetings during his first stint as BCCI president.
But behind that introvert veneer lies a hard taskmaster, with many in the BCCI seeing him as the best man to usher in a new era.
“The BCCI is a huge brand which has been created by the love of fans,” Manohar told a news conference after his election on Sunday.
Mr. Shashank Manohar elected #BCCIPresident pic.twitter.com/ynbqlpnFGh
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 4, 2015
“The confidence of fans has been shaken in recent times by some unpleasant things that have taken place. The duty of the board is to rebuild its image on a priority basis.”
Manohar said he planned to appoint an independent ombudsman – or an ethics officer – to take up any dispute involving Indian cricket.
“I plan to lay down norms to prevent corruption in the game,” he said. “A perception exists that the BCCI is not transparent and has something to hide because information does not come out.
“To clear this myth, all the financial dealings of the board, including the balance sheet, will be posted on the BCCI website.”
“In two months’ time all these things about which I have spoken will be implemented in full force,” he added.
Manohar’s elevation is expected to be a setback for Narayanswami Srinivasan, the controversial head of the International Cricket Council, who was stood down as BCCI president by the Supreme Court last year over conflict of interest charges.
Manohar has publicly blamed Srinivasan for bringing the BCCI into disrepute following a Supreme Court probe that found Srinivasan’s son-in-law guilty of corruption in the Indian Premier League.
It remains to be seen if the Manohar-led BCCI will endorse Srinivasan’s bid to serve out his two-year term as ICC chairman which ends in June next year.
