The BCCI doesn’t follow the game—it controls it. Since 1928, this board has built Indian cricket into a financial superpower, making decisions that impact not just domestic cricket but the entire global structure of the sport. While other cricket boards operate under government influence, the BCCI runs independently, setting its own terms and answering to no one. Money, influence, and authority—it’s all in their hands.
At the center of this operation is the BCCI Secretary, a role that isn’t about handshakes and ceremonial appearances. This is the nerve center of Indian cricket, dictating scheduling, player contracts, sponsorships, media rights, and financial negotiations. The BCCI President may be the public face, but it’s the Secretary who makes sure everything behind the scenes runs like a machine.
From managing domestic tournaments to securing India’s international fixtures, the Secretary plays a critical role in keeping BCCI at the top of world cricket. Strong decision-makers have held this position, ensuring that Indian cricket never takes a back seat in global affairs. If you think control in Indian cricket is handed out, think again. The BCCI Secretary takes it, and the game follows.
Role and Responsibilities of the BCCI Secretary
This isn’t a role for someone who enjoys cricket from the comfort of a luxury box. The BCCI Secretary is in the thick of it, making decisions that shape Indian cricket at every level. There’s no room for hesitation—one wrong call can set off a chain reaction across international schedules, player contracts, and billion-dollar deals.
It’s a job that demands control, sharp negotiation skills, and the ability to keep the biggest names in cricket, corporate sponsors, and boardroom power players in check. From overseeing broadcasting rights worth more than most international cricket boards combined to handling scheduling headaches that stretch across multiple formats and continents, the BCCI Secretary is at the center of it all.
Every contract, every sponsorship, every logistical detail flows through this office. Indian cricket’s dominance isn’t an accident—it’s engineered, and the BCCI Secretary is the one making sure the machine never stops running.
Key Duties & Decision-Making Powers
- The BCCI Secretary is the main link between the board and the rest of the cricketing world—whether it’s the ICC, other cricket boards, or broadcasters looking to cash in on the game’s massive reach.
- Every major sponsorship deal, broadcasting agreement, and media rights negotiation runs through this office, bringing in billions of rupees that fuel Indian cricket.
- Handles contract negotiations for players, making sure they’re paid what they deserve while keeping the board’s interests intact.
- Keeps Indian cricket’s domestic structure alive and thriving, ensuring competitions like the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy run without a hitch.
Scheduling & Organizing Matches
- The BCCI Secretary runs India’s cricket calendar—domestic, international, bilateral series, ICC events, IPL—you name it.
- Works out scheduling with the ICC and other cricket boards, ensuring India gets the best possible fixture list in global tournaments.
- Manages logistics, security, and travel plans for the team, making sure players aren’t spending more time at airports than on the pitch.
Dealing with ICC, Government & Stakeholders
- Represents BCCI at ICC meetings, pushing for decisions that benefit Indian cricket. Let’s be honest—if the BCCI wants something, it usually gets it.
- Handles government negotiations—from stadium permissions to tax exemptions, ensuring international tournaments run without delays.
- Works with IPL franchises, sponsors, and media houses to keep the biggest cricket league in the world financially dominant.
Player & Team Affairs
- Ensures player contracts, match fees, and central contracts are in order—keeping India’s top stars satisfied and motivated.
- Deals with player disputes, disciplinary actions, and controversies—because let’s face it, Indian cricket isn’t short of drama.
- Works with selectors and coaching staff to finalize squads, ensuring the right players get the right opportunities.
BCCI Secretaries: The Men Who Built Indian Cricket
The BCCI Secretary isn’t just a desk job—it’s a role that has shaped Indian cricket for nearly a century. From running domestic tournaments in the early years to controlling the biggest cricket economy in the world today, each Secretary has played a part in turning the BCCI into a financial and sporting powerhouse. Some worked behind the scenes, some took bold steps, but all left their mark.
| Years | BCCI Secretary | Impact on Indian Cricket |
| 1928-1933 | A.S. De Mello | One of the founding figures of Indian cricket, helped create the Ranji Trophy, setting up the domestic structure. |
| 2001-2005 | Karunakaran Nair | Focused on modernizing BCCI’s administration, bringing in a more structured approach to management. |
| 2015-2019 | Anurag Thakur | Cleaned up the board’s governance, pushed for transparency, and played a role in making the IPL even bigger. |
| 2019-Present | Jay Shah | Turned the BCCI into cricket’s financial epicenter, leading record-breaking broadcasting and sponsorship deals. |
Each of these men played their part in building what the BCCI is today. From handling selection politics in the early days to running billion-dollar leagues, the BCCI Secretary’s role has evolved into one of the most powerful positions in the sport.
Key Achievements of the BCCI Secretary
The BCCI Secretary isn’t just handling admin work; they are shaping India’s dominance in world cricket. Every major move—from player contracts to billion-dollar deals—flows through their hands. It’s a job where decisions don’t just affect a team or a season; they define the future of the sport:
- 1. Strengthening India’s Cricketing Base
- 2. Controlling the Financial Game
- 3. Keeping the Machine Running
- 4. Expanding India’s Influence Globally
- 5. Taking Care of the Players
The BCCI Secretary isn’t a background figure—they are the driving force behind India’s cricketing empire. Every deal, every match, every decision runs through their office, making them one of the most powerful figures in world cricket.
Who is the Current BCCI Secretary?
The man running the BCCI’s operations is Devajit Saikia.
Devajit Saikia’s Background
Saikia knows cricket inside out, not as an outsider managing from a boardroom, but as someone who played at the first-class level. A wicket-keeper and middle-order batsman for Assam in the Ranji Trophy, he understood the grind of domestic cricket before making his name in a completely different arena—law. From the crease to the courtroom, he built a reputation as one of Assam’s top advocates, adding another layer to his skill set.
Cricket Administrator with a Legal Mind
His time as BCCI Joint Secretary (2022-2025) gave him direct experience in handling the financial and operational machine that drives Indian cricket. Before that, he played a key role in revamping Assam’s cricket structure as the Secretary of the Assam Cricket Association, ensuring better facilities and a stronger system for young cricketers. On top of that, his legal background as Advocate General of Assam gives him an edge in dealing with the complex governance and high-stakes negotiations that come with BCCI leadership.
Now at the helm of the most powerful cricket board in the world, Saikia has a job that’s about more than just managing tournaments. He’s navigating power battles, commercial deals, and keeping BCCI ahead of the game in a sport where India already holds the biggest influence. His decisions will shape the future of not just Indian cricket, but global cricket itself.
The Battles of a BCCI Secretary
Being the BCCI Secretary isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s a role that requires as much resilience off the field as India’s top cricketers show on it. The game itself is only part of the equation—politics, power struggles, and relentless scrutiny make this one of the most demanding positions in world cricket. Every decision is picked apart by franchises, players, corporate giants, government officials, and the media, and there’s no room for hesitation.
Politics and cricket in India go hand in hand, and the BCCI is at the heart of it. The board isn’t run in isolation—it’s tangled with state associations, power-hungry officials, and government interests. The Secretary has to navigate this mess, ensuring policies don’t get hijacked by external influences while keeping a firm grip on the board’s independence. The constant battles in courtrooms over taxation, governance reforms, and selection disputes only add to the pressure.
Then there’s the IPL, a financial beast that has made cricket richer but infinitely more complicated. Keeping billion-dollar franchises, corporate sponsors, and international broadcasters happy is a full-time job in itself. Franchises want more influence, players demand better deals, sponsors expect visibility, and the broadcasters—the ones putting in the real money—want content that maximizes viewership. Balancing all of this without disrupting Indian cricket’s core structure is like walking a tightrope with no safety net.
And when things go wrong—and they always do—the BCCI Secretary is the one in the firing line. Match-fixing scandals, player disputes, selection controversies—every issue, big or small, lands at their doorstep. The pressure to keep the sport clean, ensure fair selections, and maintain financial transparency is relentless. Every press conference is a test, every meeting a potential battleground. The real game isn’t played on the pitch, but in boardrooms, courtrooms, and the corridors of power. Feel like a BCCI secretary, analyze strategies and watch matches on the vipking platform.
The Future of the BCCI Secretary’s Role
The game is changing fast, and so is the BCCI Secretary’s job. What once revolved around scheduling matches and handling player contracts is now shifting into big data, AI-driven analytics, and global power struggles. The next generation of secretaries won’t just be dealing with cricket—they’ll be managing a high-stakes empire.
Technology is becoming a bigger factor in player selection, workload management, and decision-making. Future BCCI Secretaries will need to integrate AI and advanced analytics into scouting, injury prevention, and officiating to keep India ahead of the curve. At the same time, India’s grip on world cricket will tighten, with the BCCI pushing for even greater control over ICC revenue and global tournament scheduling.
It’s not just about the men’s game anymore. Women’s cricket is growing, and the Women’s Premier League (WPL) has already proven its commercial potential. The BCCI Secretary will have to ensure more investment, better contracts, and long-term structural support to maintain momentum.
And then there’s player burnout. The calendar is brutal, and fatigue—both physical and mental—is a real issue. The next BCCI Secretaries will need to rethink how players are managed, introducing structured rest periods and workload control to avoid injuries and career-shortening exhaustion.
Cricket administration isn’t what it used to be. It’s a business, a chess game, and a battlefield, all rolled into one. The BCCI Secretary of the future won’t just manage the sport—they’ll be shaping its very existence.
“The BCCI Secretary is not just an administrative head but a guardian of Indian cricket’s future.” – Cricket Analyst
The Power Behind Indian Cricket
The BCCI Secretary isn’t just an administrator—he’s a power broker, a strategist, and a dealmaker all in one. This is the role that controls the direction of Indian cricket, the billion-dollar IPL machine, and the country’s influence in world cricket. Every major decision—from player contracts to global tournaments, from media rights to ICC politics—flows through this office.
Over the years, the men who have held this position have built a system that dominates cricket financially and structurally. Some focused on governance, some turned the sport into a business empire, and others ensured that the BCCI dictates the rules instead of following them. The job isn’t getting any easier. With technology revolutionizing the game, commercial stakes rising, and global cricket politics intensifying, the next generation of BCCI Secretaries will need to be sharper than ever.
Indian cricket’s future isn’t decided on the pitch alone. It’s crafted in the boardroom, negotiated in high-stakes meetings, and fought for in ICC corridors. And standing at the center of it all is the BCCI Secretary, pulling the strings that keep Indian cricket miles ahead of the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is the current BCCI Secretary?
As of 2025, Devajit Saikia. He has been in charge since 2025, overseeing Indian cricket’s financial expansion, major media rights deals, and global influence in the ICC.
2. What are the responsibilities of the BCCI Secretary?
The BCCI Secretary is the engine room of Indian cricket’s administration. They handle scheduling, player contracts, tournament organization, sponsorship deals, and media rights negotiations. Their decisions shape not just Indian cricket but global cricketing policies.
3. How is the BCCI Secretary elected?
The Secretary is elected by the BCCI’s governing body. It’s an internal process where influence, political connections, and experience in cricket administration play key roles. It’s a position of immense power, and getting there requires more than just knowledge of the game.4. How long is the tenure of the BCCI Secretary?
The official term is three years, but that doesn’t mean the seat is safe for the full duration. BCCI elections, internal boardroom politics, and governance battles can lead to changes at any time.
