Devajit Saikia elected new BCCI secretary, replaces Jay Shah

Former Assam wicketkeeper Devajit Saikia has been elected as the new BCCI secretary. Saikia replaces Jay Shah, who had vacated the position after his appointment as the head of the International Cricket Council.

In Short

• The BCCI have appointed a new secretary
• Devajit Saikia replaces Jay Shah as the BCCI secretary
• Jay Shah joined the ICC on December 1

Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia has replaced Jay Shah as the secretary of the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI). Saikia took over the position, which was left vacant for a little over one month after Jay Shah took over the chairman's position in the International Cricket Council.

Saikia's first task as the secretary was to attend the meeting alongside BCCI president Roger Binny as the board discussed India's performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Sources told India Today that captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir attended the meeting.

A source close to the development said that the meeting had a lengthy and detailed discussion on India's current slump in Test cricket.

“The meeting was detailed, with lengthy discussions on the team’s performance, especially the batting lineup. Management wanted to understand why Indian batters, despite having a strong lineup, have not been able to perform. They also focused on identifying the core reasons and how to rectify them,” a source in the know said India Today.

The source added that everything has been noted, and steps will be taken after the Champions Trophy.

Jay Shah takes over as ICC Chairman

WHO IS DEVAJIT SAIKIA?

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.

After his cricketing days, Saikia transitioned into a career in law. He began practising as a lawyer at the age of 28 in the Gauhati High Court. Prior to his legal career, he had also secured jobs in the Northern Frontier Railways and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through sports quotas.

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 Hemanta Biswasarma, who is now the Chief Minister of Assam. He later became the ACA secretary in 2019.