MUMBAI: Former captain Sourav Ganguly is set to take charge as the head of India’s cricket board this month, completing his transition from star player to a top administrator.

The 47-year-old, who retired from international cricket in 2008, filed his nomination for the president’s post of the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) on Monday for the elections to be held on Oct 23.

Since 2017, the BCCI is being run by administrators appointed by the Supreme Court after its office-bearers failed to implement administrative reforms within the world’s richest national cricket body.

The Court-appointed administrators will hand over responsibilities once the board members elect the new office bearers during the Oct. 23 elections.

“I’m happy I’ll say because it’s a very important time in Indian cricket administration because of all what’s happened in the last three years,” Ganguly told reporters after filing his nomination at the BCCI headquarters. “To be a position where I can make a difference along with a team would be extremely satisfying. So hopefully in the next few months we can put everything in place and bring back normalcy in Indian cricket.”

Ganguly has the support of most members of the board and could end up as the lone candidate for the president’s post. He would then be elected unopposed. The former left-handed batsman, who played 113 Tests and 311 One-day Internationals and led India to 21 Test wins, has already been an administrator for his home state association.

He was part of the BCCI’s technical panel in the past and also part of a three-member Cricket Advisory Committee, alongside Sachin Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman.

Ganguly said he had never aspired to be BCCI chief but hoped his experience as a former captain would stand him in good stead. “We have lot of things to do, to get the administration in order,” he said. “Cricket on the field has been brilliant for India, the team has played exceptionally well. My biggest focus will be first-class cricket. I have been very vocal on looking after first-class players because that’s your base, that’s your strength.”

Jay Shah, son of Home Minister Amit Shah, filed his nomination to become BCCI secretary.

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2019