Rohan Jaitley is tipped to take over as the new BCCI Secretary should Jay Shah be elected as the next chairman of the ICC. Currently serving as BCCI Secretary, Shah is expected to step into the ICC chairman role, although it remains uncertain if he has officially decided to run for the position. The 35-year-old has strong support from nearly 15 of the 16 members of the ICC board, but he must make a decision quickly, as the deadline for nominations is August 27. This brings up the pressing question of who will succeed Shah at the BCCI.
According to a report in Dainik Bhaskar, Rohan Jaitley, the president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), is emerging as the front-runner to replace Shah as BCCI Secretary, with broad consensus around his candidacy within the Indian cricket board.
Rohan, a New Delhi native and the son of the late Arun Jaitley—a former politician and India's Finance Minister—has followed in his father's footsteps to pursue a legal career. He specialises in cases before the Supreme Court of India and the Delhi High Court, and earlier this year, he was appointed as a Central Government Standing Counsel for the Delhi High Court.
Rohan entered the cricket administration about four years ago when he was elected as the new president of the DDCA, a position his father occupied for 14 years. He was re-elected unopposed for a second term earlier this year. Under his leadership, Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium successfully hosted five ODI World Cup matches last year and organised the inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League this year, featuring prominent players like Rishabh Pant and Ishant Sharma.
In addition to his administrative experience, Rohan's strong candidacy for replacing Shah has roots in his father’s positive influence in the BCCI, where Arun served as vice president.
While Shah has yet to announce his nomination for the ICC chairman role, the situation regarding his successor as BCCI Secretary remains uncertain. A PTI report suggests potential competitors for Rohan, including former CAB president Avishek Dalmiya, as well as rising officials from various state units like Punjab's Dilsher Khanna, Goa's Vipul Phadke, and Chhattisgarh's Prabhtej Bhatia, a former IPL Governing Council member. However, the question remains whether the BCCI will appoint a completely new face for the role.
“While it is possible, there are no strict rules in place. The key posts of president, secretary, and treasurer have traditionally been held by those familiar with the system,” stated a former BCCI secretary. “A newcomer usually doesn't sidestep established candidates easily. The more pressing question right now is whether Jay is prepared to move to the ICC. Even if he chooses not to go now, he has the option to do so at any time,” he added.