Will Jagmohan Dalmiya continue as BCCI president?

Mumbai: BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya – hospitalised since Thursday due to a heart ailment – had not been keeping well for a while. The 75-year-old also refrained from the board’s daily activities. According to reports, a lobby within the giant cricket board had planned to convince him to step down for health’s sake. Having undergone a coronary angiography, will it be feasible for him to continue as the chief? What are the alternatives? Let’s analyse.

Read: BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya suffers heart attack, undergoes surgery

Dalmiya, a heavyweight in West Bengal, returned as the president after a gap of 10 years and since then, a lot has been said about his health. The tainted N Srinivasan (former president) had to step aside after the IPL spot-fixing scandal (2013), which brought Dalmiya back in fray unopposed.

Nonetheless, with his current health problem, it is unlikely that he will have a long road with the cricket board.

Anurag Thakur, the Honorary Secretary, has been an active administrator and one can say, is the face of the board. On top of that, he is only 40. Will he fully take over the affairs of the board considering he is already at it?

Thakur, apart from presiding over the team selection meetings, also flew to Sri Lanka to fecilitate the retiring Kumar Sangakkara and discuss the ‘coach problem’ with Team Director Ravi Shastri. Being the son of Prem Kumar Dhumal – former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh – power comes to Thakur naturally and he has been instrumental in BCCI’s ascendance over the years.

Owing to the progress BCCI has made under his wings, Thakur could be an unanimous choice to run the show.

Also read: BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s condition stable

But the board also roped in former cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman in the advisory committee.

Hence, the board has plenty of options.

Ganguly, a close associate of Dalmiya, stands the best chance going by his leadership and managerial skills. Ganguly also helped the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee while filing the investigatory report on thespot-fixing case.

As advisors, the cricketers are required to make recommendations to the president and Thakur about player selection, coach, decisions related to the sport etc.

As a president, all they have to do is play an upper hand be a bit more responsible. One designation does change work load.

All three cricketers, owing to their contribution to the sport, could be helpful.

Reports say that a special post of ‘patron-in-chief’ could be created for an honourable exit of Dalmiya. Sources say that BCCI officials had even spoken to Dalmiya about it.

It remains to be seen who finally heads the group – Dalmiya again if back on his toes, Thakur or these cricketers. The plot will widen with time.