KOLKATA: Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly yesterday began a new innings as a cricket administrator - with his unanimous election to the joint secretary’s post at the Cricket Association of Bengal’s 83rd annual general meeting here.
At the helm since 1993, barring the period when he was expelled from the BCCI, Jagmohan Dalmiya was also unanimously re-elected as CAB president. Biswarup Dey and Subir Ganguly were too reappointed as the treasurer and joint secretary respectively.
Forced to resign December 2006 following his expulsion from the BCCI on embezzlement charges, the former ICC president had made an incredible comeback to the CAB humbling incumbent Prasun Mukherjee in the 2008 elections.
The AGM virtually saw the annihilation of the opposition faction in the CAB.
Dalmiya’s age-old opponent in the CAB - Samar Kumar Paul - who had contested even contested against the presidential elections against the ace administrator in 2012, was elected as one of the three vice presidents.
Ganguly’s advent in a new avatar was welcomed by cricket administrators and the playing fraternity.
A talismanic left hand bat during his playing days who captained India to the world cup final in 2003, Ganguly follows in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors and contemporaries like Polly Umrigar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Javagal Srinath, Brijesh Patel, Shivlal Yadav and Anil Kumble who achieved varying degrees of success as cricket administrators.
Welcoming Ganguly into full-time cricket administration, Dalmiya said he was looking forward to work with him as a team.
“When I was the BCCI president, he was the captain. As a team we did well. And I hope this team will again do a great job,” he said.
Representing Salkia Friends Association at the AGM, Bengal captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla, exuded confidence of Ganguly playing a significant role in rearing young talents.
“We all know about his contribution as a cricketer. And hopefully, he will continue to contribute as an administrator and nurture young talents,” he said.
IANS
