Test cricket set to get boost from Australian initiative of multimillion-dollar fund
Our Bureau
Mumbai
Jay Shah, the current secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has emerged as the leading candidate to succeed Greg Barclay as the International Cricket Council (ICC) chair.
The BCCI is confident that Shah will be elected unopposed, given the widespread support he has received from various cricket boards, which have expressed their desire for him to lead the global cricket body, a top source from the board has confirmed.
To secure his nomination, the ICC requires a proposer and a seconder. Reports indicate that England and Australia are likely to back Shah’s candidacy, further solidifying his bid for the top position.
According to ICC rules, each of the 16 current ICC directors must submit their nominations by August 27 to be considered for the chairmanship.
Greg Barclay, who is eligible to serve a third term of two years, has announced his decision not to seek re-election, paving the way for Shah’s potential ascension.
If Shah succeeds, he will become the youngest-ever ICC chief at the age of 36. His election would also make him the latest in a line of prominent Indians who have held the prestigious position, following in the footsteps of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N. Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.
Currently, Jay Shah serves as the BCCI-appointed ICC director and chairs the ICC’s Finance and Commercial Affairs sub-committee, one of the most influential bodies within the ICC. His leadership in these roles, coupled with the strong backing from international cricket boards, places him in a favourable position to guide the ICC in the coming years.
Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) rubbished reports of next year’s ICC Champions Trophy being rescheduled.
Ahead of the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 which will be held in Pakistan, PCB has directed the renovation of the National Stadium in Karachi, Rawalpindi International Cricket Stadium and Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore at the cost of Rs12.8 billion, according to Geo News.
Meanwhile, an Australian initiative aimed at forming a fund worth 15 million USD or more to keep the best players of the sport interested and around in Test cricket looks set to be adopted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Most major cricketing nations are currently struggling in competition with lucrative T20 franchise leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), which have financial benefits and pulling powers big enough to attract some of the best players in the world. Australia is working closely with India and England in order to form a strategy to boost the longest form of the game, as per Sydney Morning Herald.
This fund will make sure that a minimum Test payment is given to all the players and will also help in paying of costs for overseas tours for struggling teams. Notably, West Indies spent one million USD in sending the men’s and women’s teams to the tour of Australia last summer.
Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird, who raised the idea back in January, is happy that it is going to be embraced.
“It is fantastic to see some momentum behind the Test match fund,” Baird said as quoted by Sydney Morning Herald.
“We need to take away the barriers and encourage Test cricket to be the best of the best. To retain that history and that legacy, which goes alongside the newer forms of white ball cricket,” he added.
The concept of this fund has also been well received by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, who himself called for a dedicated fund for long format game.
“There should be a dedicated fund for Tests, whether it is 5 million USD, 10 million USD or more. It is expensive to host teams for five-day Tests, so we are preparing for it. If the [ICC] board agrees, we are ready to do it,” said Shah to Indian media this week.
The fund is unlikely to benefit directly the three most dominant powers in world cricket, India, Australia and England.
The move to start a Test fund started after South Africa sent a second-string, inexperienced team to tour New Zealand after most of its big players were busy in the SA20 season two.
Former Aussie captain Steve Waugh had then lashed out at game’s administrators, saying that they “do not care” about Test cricket.
Following Waugh’s statement, Baird agreed that action had to be taken.
“If we are in a position that national teams are not being prioritised, then we have got a lot of work to do,” Baird said.
