Jay Shah has made history as the youngest person to be appointed the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC), with a two-year term ahead. Johnny Grave, CEO of the Cricket West Indies (CWI), shared insights into why Jay Shah was unanimously selected for this prestigious role.
In an interview, Johnny Grave discussed Jay Shah’s accomplishments as the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). During his tenure, Jay Shah successfully oversaw major cricketing events like the 2023 ODI World Cup and secured lucrative broadcast deals for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and India’s bilateral series. His leadership also played a key role in launching the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which significantly boosted the visibility of women’s cricket.
Johnny Grave further noted that Jay Shah was chosen to lead the ICC because he aligns with the organization’s expectations for their new chairperson. The ICC hopes that Jay Shah can bring the same transformative impact to global cricket that he achieved with the BCCI.
An anonymous board member added that Jay Shah’s ability to generate significant revenue, especially from the Indian subcontinent, is considered crucial for the ICC’s future.
One of Jay Shah’s primary challenges as the ICC Chairman will be the revival of Test cricket, a format that has seen a widening gap between the top teams and others. Initiatives will be necessary to encourage participation from less prominent cricketing nations.
During his time with the BCCI, Jay Shah introduced the ‘Test Cricket Incentive Scheme’, which provided additional income for players participating in Test matches. This scheme was launched after India’s victory over England in Dharamsala in March 2024 and it is seen as a model for promoting Test cricket globally.
The expectations are pretty high from Jay Shah and we offer him our best wishes!
