Sourav Ganguly is the best man to lead BCCI: Aditya Verma

IPL spot-fixing case petitioner Aditya Verma has said that his lawyers will not oppose a cooling-off period waiver for BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

The apex court was supposed to hear a BCCI plea today to modify its constitution and have Ganguly and Jay Shah continue with their job instead of going on a cooling-off period. But the hearing has been postponed by two weeks.

According to the BCCI’s new constitution, which was reformed after the apex court formed the Lodha panel, a cooling-off period of three years is mandatory after serving for six years as an office-bearer in either a state association or the central Board.

Before becoming the BCCI president last October, Sourav Ganguly was the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal while Mr Shah was a joint secretary in the Gujarat Cricket Association. Both of them surpassed the six-year mark earlier this year.

I have no objection if Sourav Ganguly is allowed to continue as BCCI President: Verma

Verma also said that four out of Sourav Ganguly's nine months as the BCCI president were lost due to COVID-19 and so he should get an extended period nevertheless.

“I have always maintained that Sourav Ganguly is the best man to lead BCCI. I believe Dada and Jay Shah should get a full term to again stabilise BCCI. Therefore, on behalf of CAB, I will not have an objection if Dada is allowed to continue as BCCI president. Out of his nine months, four months have already been lost due to coronavirus and any administrator needs time to implement plans and policies,” Verma said as per PTI.

Sourav Ganguly played 113 Tests, and 311 ODIs, from which he scored 7212 and 11363 runs respectively. After retiring in 2008, Sourav Ganguly has donned the hat of a commentator and administrator.