Manohar's resignation opens up race for BCCI president

Shashank Manohar's resignation as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opened the doors for many cricket administrators in the country to apply for the top post.

According to sources, board secretary Anurag Thakur and Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Rajeev Shukla are among the front runners for the post.

Barely seven months after succeeding the late Jagmohan Dalmiya to the job, Manohar, who took over for the second time, also quit as the board's representative on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and also the Asian Cricket Council.

In a letter addressed to Thakur, the Vidharbha-based lawyer tendered his resignation from the post.

"I hereby tender my resignation with immediate effect from the post of president of Board of Control for Cricket in India. I also resign with immediate effect as the representative of BCCI on the International Cricket Council, as also the Asian Cricket Council on which I was nominated by the general body of BCCI," Manohar wrote.

"I thank all my colleagues and the staff for their support and cooperation during my tenure. I wish all of you all the very best in taking the cause of Cricket to greater heights," he added.

Thakur, on his part, cited the new ICC guidelines as the reason behind Manohar's resignation.

"He resigned because a candidate for the ICC President's post must be an independent member," Thakur told the media here.

In such a scenario, the 58-year-old's tenure as the ICC Chairman also comes to an end. His stint was supposed to end next month, after which he was set to take over as the first independent chairman of ICC.

As per BCCI rules, Thakur has to call a Special General Meeting (SGM) within 15 days, apprising the members of the current situation.

According to sources, with the ICC polls slated for the later part of this month, Manohar played the master stroke of quitting from the BCCI post as the Supreme Court's verdict on implementation of the R.M. Lodha committee's recommendations will only be out after the court re-opens post the summer break.

--IANS

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