Roger Binny’s tenure as BCCI president ends due to the age-cap rule, with Rajiv Shukla stepping in as interim president. The BCCI is also seeking a new title sponsor after Dream11’s withdrawal following the online gaming ban.
Former India all-rounder and 1983 World Cup winner, Roger Binny, no longer holds the post of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, as Rajiv Shukla reportedly took over as interim president of the board, chairing the Apex Council meeting in Mumbai on Thursday, August 28.
Roger Binny was elected as BCCI president in 2022, succeeding Sourav Ganguly, but his continuation at the helm of the richest cricket board in the world as its chief was in doubt after he reached the 70-year age bar mandated by the Supreme Court-approved BCCI’s constitution. The former Indian cricketer turned 70 in July, and as per the BCCI’s constitution, any office-bearer crossing the age limit must vacate their position immediately.
As Binny turned 70 this year, he was automatically disqualified by the BCCI constitution, making him ineligible to continue as the president, despite there was no formal announcement regarding his resignation or removal from the post.
Rajiv Shukla takes over as interim president
As per the report by Dainik Jagran, BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla chaired the Apex Council meeting as the interim head of the board, and Roger Binny was not part of the meeting, effectively confirming the change in leadership. It was earlier reported that Shukla, who served as the IPL chairman from 2015 to 2020, would step in as interim president until the next election in September.
In the Apex Council meeting, chaired by Rajiv Shukla, the agenda was to find a replacement for Dream11, which pulled out as Team India’s title sponsor after the blanket ban on online gaming following the passage of the Promotion and Regulations of Online Gaming Bill 2025 by the Indian government.
With the Asia Cup beginning on September 9 and Team India to begin their title defence against the hosts, the UAE, on September 10, the BCCI is currently in a fix to secure a new title sponsor for the Men in Blue at short notice, as the board faces mounting pressure to finalize a deal before the tournament kicks off.
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Dream11 signed a three-year contract worth INR 358 crore with the BCCI, who earned INR 119 crore annually. With the passage of the Online Gaming Bill by the Indian Government, the board decided to discontinue its association with the online gaming platform, leaving a huge revenue gap and forcing the BCCI to scout for sponsorship to avoid financial and branding setbacks ahead of the Asia Cup 2025.
Will Roger Binny return as BCCI president?
Roger Binny’s future at the BCCI is uncertain at the moment after his automatic disqualification under the age-cap rule. Recently, the Indian government passed the National Sports Governance Bill, which allows the office-bearers across all sports federations in the country to serve in any position till the age of 75.
However, the National Sports Bill has not yet been notified by the Indian government, meaning the existing BCCI constitution remains in force, and Binny cannot run as president unless the bill is implemented before the next round of elections.
Since the bill has not been enacted by the government, the board will conduct the Annual General Meeting in September, wherein a new president will be elected in accordance with the constitution, effectively closing the door on Binny’s immediate return unless the legislation is fast-tracked.