Jay Shah frontrunner for ICC Chairmanship as Greg Barclay steps down

ICC Chairman Greg Barclay has opted out of serving a third term in the position. The current chairman of the council will step down on November 30, effectively leaving the position open for potential contenders, with BCCI Secretary Jay Shah seemingly leading the race. The ICC chairman can hold the position for three terms, with each term spanning over two years. Barclay has completed two full terms in the role but has decided to step down ahead of the third term. The last date to file nominations for the ICC chairmanship is August 27, and Shah’s intention to enter the race will be revealed by then.

Greg Barclay steps down from the ICC chairman role

The International Cricket Council released a statement informing the public of this development. Greg Barclay assumed the ICC chairmanship in November 2020 and was re-elected in 2022 to continue his tenure. However, the former New Zealand cricketer will leave the role in November 2024. The notification released by ICC further requested that directors file their nominations by August 27.

"ICC Chair Greg Barclay confirmed to the Board that he will not stand for a third term and will step down from the post when his current tenure finishes at the end of November,” the ICC statement read.

“Current directors are now required to put forward nominations for the next Chair by 27 August 2024, and if there is more than one candidate, an election will be held with the term of the new Chair commencing on 1 December 2024,” ICC further notified.

Can Jay Shah become the youngest ever ICC Chairman?

Jay Shah currently heads the Finance and Commercial Affairs sub-committee within ICC. If the BCCI secretary decides to put in his nomination, he will be the frontrunner for the chairmanship position. The 35-year-old Jay Shah has a chance to make history as the youngest ICC chairman ever if he wins the election and takes up the role on December 1, 2024. Shah could also join the likes of Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N. Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar as the Indians who have headed the International Cricket Council.

According to the ICC, if there is more than one nomination for the position, an election will be held. The election has 16 votes, with a contender needing at least nine votes to secure the chairmanship. Previously, a two-thirds majority in the votes was required to claim the role, as opposed to the current criterion of a 51% majority. If recent reports are to be believed, its unlikely for Shah to have an opponent for the position, avoiding the chances of any election.