Sourav Ganguly reacts after getting elected as BCCI president

Ganguly pipped administrator Brijesh Patel in the race to attain the coveted job.

Sourav Ganguly | Getty

Newly-elected BCCI President and former skipper Sourav Ganguly on Monday (October 14) said it's a "great opportunity" for him to give back to Indian cricket as he is due to get the job at a time when the board's image has taken a serious beating from all corners. 

Ganguly has just pipped administrator Brijesh Patel in the race to attain the BCCI presidential post. "You need to wait till 3 pm in the afternoon," Ganguly told PTI. "Obviously, it's a great feeling as I have played for the country and captained the country."

"And I am taking over at a time when BCCI has not been in greatest of position for the last three years. Its image has got hampered quite a lot. It's a great opportunity for me to do something good," said the former India captain, who will have to demit office in July 2020 due to compulsory cooling off period. 

Ganguly was just recently re-elected as president of Cricket Association of Bengal as well. 

Read Also: Sourav Ganguly unopposedly re-elected CAB President

The 47-year-old also said his main focus during the short tenure at the helm will be to look after the country's first-class cricketers. He'll soon be meeting all the stakeholders of Indian cricket; something the supreme-court appointed Committee of Administrators didn't do for 33 months.

"We will speak to everyone first as we take a decision but my biggest priority will be to look after first class cricketers," he said. "I had requested that to the CoA for three years and they didn't listen. That's the first thing I will do, look after the financial health of our first-class cricketers."

Ganguly has been elected unopposed and that he says is a huge responsibility. "Whether unopposed or not, there has to be responsibility as it is the biggest organisation in world cricket," he said. "Financially, India is a cricketing powerhouse, so it will be a challenge."

Ganguly does feel bad, though, that his term is only for nine months. 

"Yes, that's the rule and we will deal with it," he said. "I didn't know I would be the President when I came down. You (reporter) asked me and I told you it's Brijesh and when I went up and I came to know it has changed. I have never been in a BCCI election and I never knew it worked like this."

(Inputs from PTI)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 14 Oct, 2019

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