The landscape of Indian cricket administration is once again at a turning point. With the National Sports Governance Act, 2025 now law, the Sports Ministry has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to conduct its upcoming September elections in strict alignment with the new framework. The move sets up a high-stakes confrontation between traditional power holders in the BCCI and the government’s push for reform.
The new Act represents the most sweeping overhaul of sports governance in decades. For the first time, the BCCI is classified as a “public authority” under the Right to Information Act. That means the board, historically known for operating in opacity, will now be obligated to open its books and decision-making to public scrutiny. In addition, the BCCI, like every other national sports federation, must now seek annual recognition from the newly constituted National Sports Board. Its elections will no longer be an internal affair but overseen by a National Sports Election Panel in coordination with the Election Commission.
A significant shift also comes in the composition of the BCCI’s executive committee. The Act requires the body to include at least two athletes, two athlete representatives, and four women, alongside a clear ceiling on the size of the committee. Term limits and cooling-off periods are non-negotiable, a direct attempt to stop the recycling of entrenched power brokers who have long dominated cricket’s administrative corridors.
Perhaps the most contentious element is the age clause. The Lodha Committee reforms—still recognized by the Supreme Court—set 70 as the upper age limit for office bearers. The new Act, however, carves out a narrow space for flexibility, permitting those between 70 and 75 to contest if international statutes or charters allow. This has direct implications for senior figures like BCCI president Roger Binny, who turned 70 this year. Under Lodha rules he is ineligible, but the Act offers him a possible extension, depending on how quickly the government notifies detailed rules.
The Sports Ministry has clarified that if the rules are not finalized in time for the September elections, the BCCI must fall back on the Lodha guidelines. This fallback clause keeps the immediate future uncertain. For some officials, it is a lifeline; for others, it is a warning that the ground beneath their feet is shifting fast.
Beyond cricket, the stakes are national. India is actively pursuing a bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and positioning itself for the 2036 Olympics. International federations and the International Olympic Committee demand robust, transparent governance structures. Aligning the BCCI—India’s most powerful sports body—with modern standards is central to those ambitions.
At its core, the government’s directive is not just about who runs cricket. It is about projecting an image of India as a country that values clean, accountable sports governance. Whether the BCCI falls in line, or finds itself once again in a tug-of-war with the system, will define not just its elections, but also the credibility of Indian sport on the world stage.