Jay Shah, the youngest Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary at just 35, is spearheading a new era in the nation’s cricket, aiming to take the sport to unprecedented heights. His leadership is focussed on infrastructure development, and a vision for both domestic and international cricket which includes the brand new National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, the expansion of Women’s Premier League, cricket in the North-East region of India, sustainability of Test cricket and more.
In an interview with The Times of India, Shah announced the opening of a state-of-the-art NCA on the outskirts of Bengaluru in September. This facility is expected to enhance the training and development of cricketers and interestingly, will be accessible to Olympic sportspersons, such as Neeraj Chopra.
Furthermore, plans are underway to establish NCAs in six North-East states and Jammu. This move aims to integrate these regions into mainstream cricket, providing them with the necessary resources and opportunities to develop talent. Notably, the BCCI has already increased the pay scale to state cricket boards from North-East states from Rs 5 crore to Rs 20 crore to host domestic matches.
In other news:
From the development of the new National Cricket Academy, Women’s cricket to the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy, here are the key takeaways from Jay Shah’s latest interview.@Tribes_social_ @CricSubhayan #JayShah #BCCI pic.twitter.com/xRlwX3ly01
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) August 16, 2024
While the BCCI has no current stance on travelling to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, as revealed by Shah, the upcoming Bangladesh series in September is deemed crucial. The series is expected to strengthen cricketing ties and diplomatic relations with the neighbouring nation amid its recent political changes. However, Shah did confirm that India would not host the Women’s T20 World Cup, which was supposed to be hosted by Bangladesh later in 2024, as the country is already scheduled to host the Women’s ODI World Cup next year.
Meanwhile, the controversial impact player rule, which some franchises and the Indian captain Rohit Sharma have criticised for hindering all-rounders’ development, is under review. The BCCI is weighing the pros and cons before making a final decision after taking opinions from all the IPL franchises in a recent meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. Also, discussions are ongoing regarding player retentions for mega auctions in the IPL. Shah acknowledged the importance of consistency but also pointed that shuffling teams can make the league more exciting.
Adding to it, Shah expressed his eagerness to expandthe WPL beyond its current five teams once a stronger player bench is established, considering the Board gets a longer window to host more matches in future. When quizzed about a potential Women’s World Test Championship, Shah was clear that it requires more teams to regularly participate in Test cricket.
For men’s Tests, Shah advocated for touring fees for financially weaker cricket boards to support five-day cricket. He added thatas a member of the ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, he is pushing for a dedicated fund to facilitate this. However, he was clear that pink-ball Tests are currently not planned, at least for India’s home Tests, due to their short duration affecting finances and the fan experience.
Finally, Shah also revealed that VVS Laxman will continue his role as the NCA chairman beyond his current contract term, which expires in September.
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