Guwahati: Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia has replaced Jay Shah as the secretary of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI).
Saikia was elected as the secretary at a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Sunday. Meanwhile, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia has also taken charge as the treasurer in the meeting.
Saikia assumed the role of Secretary, a position that had been vacant for slightly over a month since Jay Shah’s appointment as Chairman of the International Cricket Council.
Jay Shah, who was elected unopposed as the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman last year in August. Shah assumed his office at ICC on December 1, 2024.
Saikia has been working as the BCCI interim secretary since Jay Shah took over as the ICC chairman on December 1.
Saikia’s first task in his new role was to participate in a meeting alongside BCCI president Roger Binny. The discussion focused on India’s performance in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.
According to sources, Indian team captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir were also present at the meeting.
Hailing from Assam, Devajit Saikia has a multifaceted background that includes a career in cricket, law, and administration.
As a former first-class cricketer, Saikia played four matches between 1990 and 1991, serving as a wicketkeeper. Although his cricketing career was relatively short, he managed to collect 53 runs and managed to exact 9 dismissals.
Following his cricketing stint, Saikia pursued a legal career, starting as a lawyer at the Gauhati High Court at the age of 28. Before practicing law, he secured positions in the Northern Frontier Railways and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under sports quota provisions.
Saikia’s entry into cricket administration began in 2016 when he became one of the six vice presidents of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) under the presidency of Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is now the Chief Minister of Assam. He later became the ACA secretary in 2019.
