Sourav Ganguly, former India captain, took over as the president of Board of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) on Wednesday. Jay Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, began his tenure as the new secretary while Arun Dhumal takes office as treasurer. Dhumal is the younger brother of Minister of State for Finance and former BCCI president Anurag Thakur. There were no elections held for appointments of the posts since all candidates emerged unopposed after weeks of lobbying and hectic parleys.
"It's official - @SGanguly99 formally elected as the President of BCCI," the BCCI said on Twitter.
Ganguly is the first India cricketer after the Maharaja of Vizianagaram to become the president of Board of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI).
"I'm confident that as BCCI President he will take cricket to greater heights. I am hopeful that Jay Shah and Sourav Ganguly and their team will deliver. This is start of a new era for Indian cricket," said Delhi and Districts Cricket Association chief Rajat Sharma.
Former IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla echoed the sentiment. "Sourav will be an asset because he has been the most successful captain, and he has been most successful CAB President as well" he said.
After becoming the president of BCCI, Sourav Ganguly took to Twitter to share a picture of himself as the former India captain took charge of Indian cricket board.
Ganguly, however, will be able to serve as BCCI president only up to September 2020, as he is currently the president of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) and will have to go into a compulsory cooling off period.
Ganguly took over as CAB president in 2015, following the death of his administrative mentor Jagmohan Dalmiya.
The 47-year-old Sourav Ganguly had said that he wants to emulate Dalmiya's success at the role.
(With PTI inputs)