There is a movement underway to amend the tenure of the ICC chairman.
There is an ongoing initiative to amend the International Cricket Council (ICC) constitution, with the aim of extending the chairman’s term duration while reducing the number of terms. The anticipated amendment is set to be deliberated upon in the forthcoming ICC board meeting scheduled for March.
Under the proposed changes, known to only a select few within the ICC, the chairman’s term would be prolonged from the current two years to three years. Additionally, instead of the current eligibility for three consecutive terms, future chairpersons would only be permitted to seek re-election once. Consequently, while one can still serve as chairman for a total of six years, as is the present norm, they would be elected twice, not thrice.
The reasoning behind this proposed amendment is believed to provide the chairman with an extended tenure, fostering a more concentrated approach to formulating policies for the global body. A two-year term may potentially prioritize election activities over effective policy-making.
While the ICC has not officially addressed the proposal, given its not-yet-introduced status, informal discussions have occurred among the members. If approved, the new regulation could be implemented during the annual conference in June-July.
The motivation behind the proposed amendment remains unclear in terms of benefiting any specific individual. The current chairman, Greg Barclay, is slated to serve until November. Whether the amendment, if ratified, will take immediate effect or if a new chairman will only be appointed in November remains uncertain.
The independent chairman position was instituted in 2016, with former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Shashank Manohar serving as the inaugural elected chairman. Manohar was subsequently re-elected and relinquished the position in 2020, leading to the appointment of New Zealand Cricket’s Barclay as a consensus candidate, securing a second two-year term in 2022.
At this early stage, predicting potential contenders for the upcoming elections is challenging. However, a candidate enjoying the support of Jay Shah, the secretary of the BCCI, would likely emerge as a frontrunner, considering Barclay secured the position twice with Shah and the BCCI’s backing.
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