Rajeev Shukla, Ashish Shelar get important roles in Asian Cricket Council

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the appointment of Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar to prominent positions within the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Shukla, the BCCI vice-president and Congress Rajya Sabha MP, will represent India on the ACC's Board of Directors. Meanwhile, Ashish Shelar, former treasurer of the BCCI and a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has been appointed as an Executive Board Member of the continental body.

The announcement was made by BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia on Friday, who expressed confidence in the new appointments. The positions come in the wake of a vacancy on the ACC Board, which was created after Jay Shah, the current BCCI Secretary, assumed the role of Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Shah, who had previously held the position of President of the ACC, had to relinquish his role on the ACC Board as a result of his new responsibilities.

The BCCI expressed its support for Shukla and Shelar, with Saikia conveying the wishes of the Board’s office bearers and Apex Council. "We wish both of them a successful tenure as the ACC works towards promoting, developing, and strengthening cricket in Asia," Saikia said in a press release.

The timing of these appointments is crucial, as the ACC is poised for a leadership transition. In the upcoming cycle, Pakistan’s Mohsin Naqvi is set to take over as the head of the ACC. This shift in leadership signals a new era for Asian cricket, with Shukla and Shelar's involvement expected to play an essential role in strengthening India's influence in the continental body.

With these appointments, the BCCI continues to play a key role in shaping the future of cricket across Asia, further solidifying its leadership in the sport globally.