Mithun Manhas is poised to become the first uncapped Indian cricketer to lead the BCCI.
Mithun Manhas Emerges as Surprise Frontrunner for BCCI President
Former Delhi captain Mithun Manhas is poised to become the first uncapped Indian cricketer to head the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). In a shock development on Saturday, the 45-year-old emerged as the frontrunner for the board president role following an extensive meeting of BCCI administrators in New Delhi.
The deadline for submitting nominations is Sunday, with selections scheduled for September 28. Over the past five years, BCCI presidents have typically been elected unopposed. The board has also shown a preference for former cricketers in leadership positions, following the footsteps of predecessors Sourav Ganguly and Roger Binny.
Who is Mithun Manhas?
Mithun Manhas made his professional debut in the 1997/98 season and, despite being a prolific middle-order batter, never broke into the Indian national team. Competing in an era dominated by legends like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly, Manhas instead became a cornerstone of domestic cricket.
A right-handed batter and inspirational leader, he often captained Delhi when stars like Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were away on national duty. Young players, including Virat Kohli, benefited from his mentorship. His standout season came in 2007/08, when Delhi ended a long championship drought with a Ranji Trophy win, while Manhas scored 921 runs at an average of 57.56. In 2015, he returned to his roots by joining Jammu & Kashmir, his birthplace.
Over his career, Manhas played 157 first-class matches, scoring 9,714 runs at an average above 45 with 27 hundreds, including 8,554 runs in 206 Ranji Trophy innings—the seventh-highest in history. He also amassed 4,126 runs in 130 List A matches and 1,170 runs in 91 T20s. In the IPL, he represented Delhi Daredevils (2008–2010), Pune Warriors (2011–2013), and Chennai Super Kings (2014), scoring 514 runs in 55 matches.
Transitioning to coaching and administration, Manhas served as Punjab’s IPL assistant coach in 2017, worked as batting consultant for Bangladesh U-19, and later joined RCB and Gujarat Titans in assistant coaching roles. He also brings administrative experience from his tenure as director of cricket operations with the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA).
