Devajit Saikia Appointed BCCI Secretary, Succeeds Jay Shah
Former first-class cricketer Devajit Saikia has been appointed as the new secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), succeeding Jay Shah, who took on the role of ICC Chairman last year. The appointment was announced during the BCCI Special General Meeting (SGM).
IPrabhtej Singh Bhatia was elected as the Treasurer of the Indian Cricket Board. Confirming the appointments, BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla said, “Devajit Saikia elected new BCCI secretary, and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia elected as BCCI treasurer”.
Saikia, who represented Assam in the 1990-91 first-class cricket season, scored 53 runs in four matches. He also has significant experience in cricket administration, having served as the BCCI joint secretary and the secretary of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA). Following Jay Shah’s election as ICC Chairman, Saikia had been serving as the acting interim secretary of the BCCI.
The Special General Meeting also marked Jay Shah’s transition to his role as ICC Chairman, which began on December 1. Shah’s extensive administrative experience includes his tenure with the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), where he oversaw the development of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world’s largest cricket stadium. Under his leadership, India successfully hosted the 2023 Cricket World Cup in its entirety for the first time.
Under Shah's chairmanship, the ICC made a significant decision regarding the hosting rights for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The tournament will take place in Pakistan, with an additional neutral venue included. Additionally, the ICC has introduced a hybrid model for its events in the 2024-27 cycle, with tournaments to be hosted in either India or Pakistan.
Meanwhile, former BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar was recently elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He contested as part of the Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena.