India's Shah elected unopposed as next ICC chairman

Indian businessman Jay Shah has been elected as the next chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The 35-year-old will become the youngest ever chairman of cricket's governing body when he succeeds New Zealander Greg Barclay on 1 December.

Shah has been the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary since 2019 and was the sole candidate after Barclay decided against seeking a third term.

Upon his election, Shah said the goal "is to make cricket more inclusive and popular than ever before".

The sport is returning to the Olympics after after a 128-year absence at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

Shah, who is also president of the Asian Cricket Council, said its inclusion "represents a significant inflection point for the growth of cricket".

He added: "I am confident that it will drive the sport forward in unprecedented ways."

Stephan Shemilt

Chief Cricket Writer

While there are concerns that Jay Shah's appointment gives even more power to India, there is also a massive opportunity for Shah to make a global mark.

Cricket is in flux. Franchise leagues threaten the international game, especially Test cricket. Shah has promoted Test cricket at home and recently offered greater cash incentives to India players for Test cricket.

Could he see his greatest legacy to the game as coming up with a solution that protects Test cricket? Could he give some teeth to the ICC, arguably one of the weakest governing bodies in sport?

Could he possibly solve the issues around the Afghanistan women's team, which the ICC has pretty much ignored since the Taliban returned to power?