Former India pacer Roger Binny is all set to take charge as BCCI's president next week. A pivotal member of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team, Binny will replace former India skipper Sourav Ganguly, who will no longer hold an official position on the board as he refused to take the IPL chairmanship.
Binny's appointment is only a matter of time as he is the only one to have filed the nomination for the president's post and will be elected unopposed at the AGM on October 18.
Amid the recent development, former India head coach Ravi Shastri on Wednesday (October 12) expressed his delight, saying Binny ticks all the boxes to become a successful BCCI president and take Indian cricket forward.
"I'm delighted, because he was my colleague in the World Cup. There's continuity there because he was the president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association. So, he moves on to become the president of the BCCI. And I'm extremely happy because he's a World Cup winner, who's the president for the first time in the history of the BCCI. His credentials are unquestionable. He's got all the boxes ticked to take up this post," he told Ayaz Memon at a 'Meet-the-media programme' at the Mumbai Press Club.
Heaping praise on Binny, Shastri further said that he expects the forthcoming BCCI chief to improve facilities for spectators at stadiums.
"Binny is a very amiable guy, he has got a mind of his own. He might not be a flippant type, but when he opens his mouth, I'm sure that he will be heard, especially on cricketing matters. One area that he would look into and Indian cricket must look into is the fact that you have to make Indian cricket a spectator friendly sport, so for me, the most important thing is that the facilities at the ground should be upgraded big time. It should be insisted upon, with the kind of bucks coming into the sport, the kind of people who come into the ground, they've got to get the best facilities. If that happens, the popularity of the sport will soar even further" Shastri remarked.
Roger Binny represented India in 27 Tests and 72 ODIs, claiming 47 and 77 wickets respectively. He also has nearly 1500 international runs to his name.
