Jay Shah, 35, will become the International Cricket Council’s (ICC’s) youngest chairman on December 1st, succeeding New Zealander Greg Barclay. Shah, the son of India’s Home Minister Amit Shah and an influential figure in cricket, has quickly risen to fame in the world game, carving out his own personality.
Although earlier BCCI executives, including Jagmohan Dalmiya, Sharad Pawar, N Srinivasan, and Shashank Manohar, have held the ICC chair, Shah’s rise stands out for his particular leadership style.
As BCCI secretary since 2019, Shah has supervised the expansion of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will sell its broadcast rights for $6.2 billion in 2022, making it one of the world’s most valuable sports leagues. Shah hopes to expand cricket globally and support India’s ambition to host the Olympics in 2036, particularly now that cricket has been included in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Shah, who also serves as president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), emphasised the importance of balancing several formats and embracing technology as cricket expands into new global markets. Passionate about broadening cricket’s appeal, he sees the sport’s participation in the Olympics as a crucial point for its development.
