Jay Shah elected unopposed as next ICC chairman

Jay Shah (Pic: AFP)

BCCI secretary Jay Shah will take over as the next chairman of the ICC in December after he emerged as the sole nominee for the high-profile job, the global governing body for cricket announced on Tuesday .

The 35-year-old will succeed incumbent chairman Greg Barclay, who decided against running for the post for a third consecutive term of two years.

"I am humbled by the nomination as the Chair of the International Cricket Council," Shah stated in a release issued by the ICC.

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Shah will leave his current position as BCCI secretary, which he has held since 2019, in the Board's Annual General Meeting to be held towards the end of the next month or in October.

Shah is currently the head of ICC's most powerful sub-committee, the Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA), a role that he took over in 2022.

After being elected as the ICC chairman, Shah on Tuesday said he will look to ensure that Test cricket forms the "bedrock" of the game in his tenure during which he will also try to "dismantle barriers that have hindered cricket's progress".

The 35-year-old Shah, who has been the BCCI secretary since 2019, will take over from the 62-year-old incumbent Greg Barclay on December 1 as the youngest ICC Chairman after the New Zealander decided against running for a third consecutive term of two years.

"While the T20 is a naturally exciting format, it is equally important that Test cricket remains a priority for everyone as it forms the bedrock of our game.

"We must see to it that cricketers are driven to longer format and our efforts will be channelised towards this goal," Shah said in a statement issued by the BCCI.

"I would like to work towards setting up a separate program for talent search during my tenure, and I look forward to your support in this program." Shah emphasised on further lifting the standards of the game across the globe.

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to ICC's Member Boards for placing their trust in me to take over this prestigious role of the Chairman of the ICC. I want to assure you that I will do everything possible to elevate the standard of our game across the globe.

"As I step into this pivotal role, I am resolutely committed to meeting your high expectations and dedicating myself to the beautiful game of cricket," he added.