Just as Indian athletes are celebrated for bringing laurels to the country from the field of play, if one takes a look at officials who have done well in 2024, the name of Jay Shah will come on top of the list. This is a year where Shah, son of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, showed that he is young, energetic and still can lead the world of cricket. Shah’s rise to the post of chairman, International Cricket Council (ICC), at 36, has been welcomed by all the major cricket playing nations. The lone exception is Pakistan, where a section took potshots at him needlessly.
Indeed, Shah comes as a whiff of fresh air in sports administration, notably cricket. The whole year people in India have got the stick and were tired of reading about various national sports federations being governed poorly. Court cases, infighting, people overstaying their tenure, some sports administrators stunk their places out. This is where Shah has charmed the world with his pleasant manners and endearing smile. When he was chosen as the ICC chairman, it was unanimous. Everyone knows, India is the powerhouse in cricket when it comes to calling the shots in sponsorship deals, advertisement revenue and even TV and digital rights. And each time the IPL has grown bigger and bigger, the BCCI stands behind it strongly. Of course, the IPL has a separate boss but the role of the BCCI top brass cannot be discounted.
Even when Shah was the BCCI secretary, he had already made an inroad into cricket administration in Asia. He led the Asian Cricket Council with panache. So, when a replacement had to be found for Greg Barclay, the name of Shah came up unopposed. It speaks volumes for how he has been recognised for the good work done, primarily as the BCCI boss. When the ICC T20 World Cup was hosted by the United States of America and the West Indies this summer, Shah was seen.
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He won hearts just after the World Cup ended. The first was after skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli said they were saying goodbye to T20 international cricket. Shah he quickly announced both the present and former skipper would be there for the Champions Trophy in 2025. The brouhaha over the Champions Trophy is over. It is as good as a done deal and Pakistan has been forced to accept a hybrid model for the tournament. The details are well known, but Shah slipped into the ICC chair so smoothly, he did not have to make any noise at all. That already defines him as an ICC boss, someone who knows how to get the job done.
People will not forget that after the World Cup final, the Men in Blue as well as Indian journalists were stuck in Barbados after Hurricane Beryl had done the damage. Shah flew the team as well as journalists to India in an Air India charter flight. This was after the airport in Barbados was shut down for more than two days. Flights were cancelled and re-bookings were not happening. Shah swung into action as millions were waiting to see the trophy in India. From touchdown in New Delhi on July 4 morning to an audience with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then being flown out to Mumbai, all the work was slick. The ticker-tape welcome climaxing in a rousing reception at the Wankhede Stadium for the team showed how much the BCCI had planned it in detail. Shah can take credit for being the leader.
More images of Shah stand out, his presence in Paris 2024 where he met the International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach plus officials from the 2028 Los Angeles host committee. Cricket’s inclusion, again, in the Olympics is a big thing, and Shah was in the French capital as the BCCI secretary. At present, he is in Brisbane, engaged in talks with the organisers of the 2032 Olympics. For cricket to stay in the Olympic programme is important and Shah is already seen as proactive. For those who may be tempted to make comparisons with his predecessors, whether in the BCCI or as ICC bosses like Shashank Manohar, Sharad Pawar and N Srinivasan, Shah is a young Turk. At 36, he has taken guard and looks set for a long innings.
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