Greg Barclay, the current chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has announced he will not pursue a third term when his tenure concludes on November 30. This announcement has led to speculation about whether BCCI Secretary Jay Shah will throw his hat in the ring for the leadership position. A decision regarding Shah's candidacy will be revealed by August 27, the deadline for nominations.
Barclay, a New Zealand attorney, has been in the role since November 2020 and was re-elected in 2022. The ICC Chairman is allowed a maximum of three terms, each lasting two years, making this transition an opportunity for a new candidate after Barclay's four-year service.
The ICC has established that a total of 16 votes is needed for the chairman's election, with a simple majority of nine (51%) required to secure the position, a change from the previous two-thirds majority rule.
In a media release, the ICC stated, "ICC Chair Greg Barclay confirmed to the Board that he will not stand for a third term and will step down from the post when his current tenure finishes at the end of November." Barclay was first appointed as the Independent ICC Chair in November 2020 and was re-elected in 2022.
Nominations for the new ICC Chairman are due by August 27, 2024. If there are multiple nominees, an election will take place, with the new chairman's term set to begin on December 1, 2024.
Jay Shah, who currently leads the ICC's Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) sub-committee, is recognised as a significant figure within the ICC and has robust support among the 16 voting members. Shah has one year left in his role as BCCI Secretary before entering a required three-year cooling-off period that begins in October 2025. According to the BCCI constitution, officials may serve for a total of six years before a cooling-off period, with a maximum cumulative service of 18 years—nine years at the state association level and nine years with the BCCI.
Should Shah decide to pursue the ICC chairmanship, he would still have four years left in his tenure with the BCCI. At just 35, he could become the youngest chairman in the history of the ICC. Previous Indian ICC chairmen include Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N. Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar.