Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh will enter the cricket administration, with the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) nominating him as its delegate for this year's BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will take place on September 28. This is Harbhajan's first visit as a representative of his parent state association, having functioned earlier as an advisor to PCA.
Harbhajan Singh steps into cricket administration for the first time
During the AGM, the BCCI will choose five important office-bearers, namely the President, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, and Treasurer. The election of one General Body representative to the Apex Council and two members to the IPL Governing Council will also be settled at the meeting. Several high-profile individuals are expected to attend the meeting.
Together with Harbhajan, the Cricket Association of Bengal has also nominated former BCCI President Sourav Ganguly as its nominee. Other nominees from state governing bodies include Raghuram Bhatt (Karnataka), Sanjay Naik (Mumbai), Arun Dhumal (Himachal), Rajeev Shukla (Uttar Pradesh), Jaydev Shah (Saurashtra), Pranav Amin (Baroda), and R.I. Palani (Tamil Nadu).
BCCI AGM elections set to decide key office-bearers
According to the election notification, September 12 was the last date for receiving nominations. Candidates can file nominations between September 20 and 21, with withdrawals allowed until September 23. The electoral officer has made it clear that all representatives must disclose previous or current positions held in the BCCI. "An Information Sheet from the Representative specifying all Elective Posts held by the Representative in the BCCI and/or any Full Member of the BCCI previously and/or currently, along with the Name of the Elective Posts and Tenures of such positions. The Information in this regard is to be submitted in the prescribed Form C signed by the Representative and duly attested by a Notary/Oath Commissioner," the notice added.
Popularly referred to as the "Turbanator," Harbhajan Singh is one of India's best spinners. He played 103 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 28 T20Is for India, taking 711 wickets overall. His Test career has 417 wickets to his name with 25 five-wicket hauls and five 10-wicket match performances. In the ODIs, he took 269 wickets, whereas in the T20Is, he took 25 wickets. A part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup-winning teams, Harbhajan now appears to be taking his cricketing expertise into administration.
