Ahead of the deadline Sunday afternoon, former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas submitted his nomination for the position of BCCI president at the Board’s headquarters in Mumbai on Sunday.
In his lengthy domestic career, which spanned 1997–98 to 2016–17, Manhas played 157 First-Class, 130 List A, and 91 T20s matches. He was the clear favorite to fill the void created by Roger Binny’s departure last month.
After an informal meeting in New Delhi, when it was resolved to promote 45-year-old Manhas for the position of BCCI president, his name gained attention.
Manhas made his professional debut in the 1997–98 season, but like many middle-order batters, he ended up in the wrong era. Amidst the dominance of players such as Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly, Manhas failed to make a name for himself on the Indian team, despite being a domestic powerhouse.
However, the right-handed batter was a source of motivation in the Delhi dressing room. While prominent players like Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag were mostly away playing for their country, Manhas commanded the team throughout the most of the new millennium. In actuality, he captained the legendary Virat Kohli through his formative years in domestic cricket.
At the Indian Cricket Board’s annual general meeting next Sunday in Mumbai, a few more important posts will be filled.
“A new body is being made for the next term. Mithun Manhas is a former player and it was decided to make him the president. Arun Dhumal is the chairman of the IPL governing council and he will continue in that position,” BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla told the media.
Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) president and former Indian cricketer Raghuram Bhat, who is running to be the Board’s treasurer, IPL governing council chairman Arun Dhumal, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia were among those who submitted their nominations.
