(Image source from: x.com/JayShah)

The ICC is about to see a significant change in its leadership. According to reliable sources, BCCI secretary Jay Shah is poised to take over the role of ICC chairman from the current incumbent, Greg Barclay. Barclay himself has conveyed to the ICC directors, including Cricket Australia's chair Mike Baird, that he will not be seeking a third term in the position. This decision comes after Barclay was informed of Shah's intention to succeed him in November. With the backing of the cricket boards from England and Australia, Shah has the necessary support to be elected as the new head of the ICC. In the past, only four individuals of Indian origin have held the prestigious positions of ICC president or chairman, namely Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar. Now, Jay Shah, who is also the son of India's Home Minister Amit Shah, is set to become the third Indian to lead the international cricket governing body when he officially replaces Barclay in the coming months.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced that the current chairman, Barclay, was re-elected in 2022 after initially being appointed in 2020. The ICC spokesperson further stated that the directors are now required to submit nominations for the next chairman by August 27, 2024, and if there are multiple candidates, an election will be held. The winner's term will commence on December 1, 2024. According to the ICC's rules, the chairman's election process involves 16 votes, and a simple majority of nine votes (51%) is required for the winner to be selected, a change from the previous requirement of a two-thirds majority. Barclay is reported to enjoy widespread support among the 16 voting members.

Meanwhile, the BCCI secretary, Shah, has another year left in his current term before a mandatory cooling-off period of three years begins in October 2025. The BCCI constitution, as approved by the Supreme Court, stipulates that an office bearer can serve for a maximum of six years, followed by a three-year cooling-off period. In total, an individual can hold an office for a cumulative period of 18 years, with nine years each in a state association and the BCCI. With a year remaining in his secretarial role, he'll have four more years to serve on the BCCI. As he approaches 35, he's poised to assume the ICC chairmanship, making him the youngest individual to hold that prestigious position.