70 not-out: Can Roger Binny still continue as BCCI president despite crossing retirement age?

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Roger Binny turned 70 on Saturday. Since then, all eyes are on the BCCI chief whether he will exit as head of the richest cricketing board in the world or stay put.

The reason being the board’s constitution that states, “no person can hold any post after he/she has attained the age of 70 years”.

Binny, a member of India’s 1983 ODI World Cup-winning team, was elected as the BCCI president in 2022, where he succeeded former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly in the top role . 

BCCI rules also state that “the vice-president shall officiate in the president’s absence when the president is unavailable”, which means vice-president Rajeev Shukla can take over as the interim BCCI president after Binny’s departure.

“The vice-president shall also exercise such functions and duties as he may be empowered by the General Body of the Apex Council,” further state the Board’s rules.

If indeed Shukla takes over as the acting BCCI president, he is likely to continue till September, when the elections for the next set of office-bearers are scheduled to take place in the board’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Parliament Monsoon session might give new lease to Binny’s tenure

The long-delayed National Sports Governance Bill, to be tabled in the Parliament in the ongoing Monsoon Session by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr Mansukh Mandaviya can prove to be a lifeline for Binny.

The bill aims to establish a regulatory board, called the Sports Regulatory Board of India, with the authority to grant recognition and allocate funding to National Sports Federations (NSFs) based on their adherence to provisions related to good governance.

BCCI, though not a government body, can come under the NSF. With that, comes the proposed upper age limit for office bearers to be increased from 70 to 75. This means that if the bill passes, Binny will have five more years added to his tenure.

Resistance to bill

The bill itself has been in jeopardy and under process since October 2024. The National Sports Governance Bill proposes setting up some regulations for the National Olympic Committee, which is the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

It says that the NOC shall comply with all requirements applicable to it under this bill and such additional eligibility criteria for recognition as may be prescribed by the central government under this bill shall ensure that its constitution incorporates and complies with all the requirements specified in this gill as applicable to it and any rules prescribed by the central government in relation thereto from time to time.

The IOA has objected to such provisions, claiming that its constitution will only adhere to provisions of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Charter.

It has been debated for a long and kept pending because of opposition by the IOA, which has termed its provisions as interference by the government in the functioning of the NSFs, which contravenes provisions of the Olympic Charter.

Many NSFs, too, have opposed some provisions of this bill as they go against the regulations of the International Sports Federations (ISFs).

Binny’s career full of highs

In his playing career, Binny featured in 27 Tests and 72 ODIs from 1979 to 1987. He also served on the senior men’s selection committee and was the head coach when India won the 2000 U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka.

In Binny’s tenure as BCCI president, the successful launch of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and India men’s team winning 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 and 2025 Champions Trophy were the notable moments. Under Binny’s presidentship, the policy of players to participate in domestic cricket when not on national duty also took shape.

Meanwhile, Shukla, a Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress party, has been a vastly experienced cricket administrator. He served as the IPL commissioner from 2011 to 2017, before becoming BCCI vice-president in 2020 and being re-elected to the post in 2022.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)