Jay Shah: From Political Influence to Commanding the ICC

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Jay Shah assumes office as the ICC Chairman on December 1, 2024, marking a milestone in cricket's power dynamics. At 36, Jay Amitbhai Shah’s journey from a politically influential background to the helm of international cricket reflects his strategic acumen and administrative skill. The son of Amit Shah, India’s Home Minister, Jay began his cricketing administrative career in 2009 as an Executive Board Member of the Central Board of Cricket, Ahmedabad, at just 21 years old. In September 2013, at 25, he became Joint Secretary of the Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA). During his tenure, he oversaw the construction of the Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium, while his father presided over the GCA. By 2015, Shah joined the Finance and Marketing Committees of the BCCI. His rise continued when he was elected as the BCCI Secretary in October 2019, a position he retained through re-election in 2022. He solidified his credentials by securing a historic Indian Premier League broadcast rights deal in 2022, valued at INR 48,390 crore, positioning IPL as the world’s second-most valued sports league in per-match terms. Shah also expanded his influence in Asian cricket. In January 2021, he was appointed President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) and re-elected in January 2024, supported unanimously by member nations. His contributions to the ICC began in December 2019 when he represented India at future ICC Chief Executives’ Committee meetings. By 2022, Shah had been appointed as ICC Board Member Representative and later chaired the influential Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) Committee. He spearheaded a financial model overhaul, leading to landmark broadcasting rights deals worth over USD 5.5 billion Shah also played a pivotal role in including cricket in the 2028 Olympics and championed its inclusion in the Commonwealth and Asian Games, marking significant milestones for the sport. Today, Shah takes over as ICC Chairman, succeeding Greg Barclay unopposed, becoming the fourth person to hold this post since its inception in 2014.

ICC Chairmanship Legacy

Jay Shah follows the leadership lineage of N. Srinivasan (India), Shashank Manohar (India), and Greg Barclay (New Zealand). With three of the last four ICC Chairmen being Indian, Shah’s ascension underscores India’s dominance in cricket’s global power structure.

As Shah steps into this influential role, he symbolizes both continuity and change in cricket’s evolving governance, reflecting the sport’s economic and administrative epicenter shifting toward India.