As expected, former India skipper Sourav Ganguly on Saturday (September 28) officially took over the reins as Cricket Association of Bengal’s President for a second term.

Ganguly first became CAB's President following the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya in 2015. Initially, he was part of the CAB working committee and was elected joint secretary in 2014. Ganguly will, therefore, have to serve the mandatory three-year cooling off period after July 2020.

“I’m happy. It’s for 10 months but it’s a long time. I will go after that and there are other things. I don’t know what’s next. Let’s see what happens,” he told reporters.

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Ganguly and the rest of the five-member office bearers panel he was leading have won uncontested. Former cricketers Snehasish Ganguly and Gargi Banerjee have been appointed as nominated members to the Apex Council.

“Earlier there were less office bearers to run such a big organisation. Now it’s good that we will have more office bearers,” Ganguly said.

The CAB plans to induct 1800 special members and the raised fund will help in the cricket development work of the state body.

“They will get all the tickets and hospitality privileges. We will buy a whole stand from Kolkata Knight Riders and give it to the members. The fund will help clear all the pending works,” Ganguly said.

Meanwhile, Jagmohan Dalmiya’s son Avishek has been elevated from joint secretary’s post to secretary whereas Debabrata Das has been named as the lone joint secretary.

“We thank the members for reposing faith on us. We are glad that we can concentrate on cricket henceforth. There are several international matches, including several ICC tournaments, in India. The iconic Eden Gardens will once again play a key role in it,” Avishek said.

Debashis Ganguly will become the Treasurer. All office bearers have taken charge from Saturday itself.

The Panel: President: Sourav Ganguly; Vice President: Naresh Ojha; Secretary: Avishek Dalmiya; Joint Secretary: Debabrata Das; Treasurer: Debasish Ganguly.

Councillors of Apex Council: Ardhendu Kumar Ghosh, Goutam Goswami, Joydeep Kolay, Mintu Das, Numazar Mehta, Prabir Chakraborty, Rajib Ghosh, Samrat Bhowmick, Sanjoy Dutta, Subrata Saha, Susanta Banerjee.

(With PTI inputs)