Harbhajan Congratulates Former Teammate As New BCCI President: ‘When A Cricketer Heads…’ | Cricket News

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has extended his best wishes to his former teammate, Mithun Manhas, the newly appointed president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Harbhajan expressed hope that Manhas will carry forward the legacy of the board during his tenure.

The former Delhi captain was elected as the 37th BCCI president at the 94th Annual General Meeting of the board on Sunday. Manhas was the sole candidate for the presidency, a position left vacant after his predecessor, Roger Binny, stepped down in August. Vice president Rajeev Shukla had taken on the role in an interim capacity following Binny’s departure.

Harbhajan is pleased that the BCCI continues to appoint former cricketers as its president. He believes that this approach allows former players to give back to the game. “It is a good decision when a cricketer heads the body of cricket as his experience is valuable. This has been happening for the last three terms. It is always positive for a cricketer to give back to the game,” he said while speaking to reporters. “I have played a lot of cricket with Mithun, starting from our Under-19 days, and I am very happy for him.”

Harbhajan hopes that Manhas will work towards improving facilities to ensure that no youngster is left behind due to a lack of infrastructure. “I hope that the challenges he faced as a cricketer, in terms of facilities, will inspire him to do a good job for the coming generation. No child should be left behind due to infrastructure issues,” the 45-year-old added.

“A lot of development is currently underway. Across India, new grounds are being built. You can see a significant setup in Pondicherry for cricket. Cricket is reaching smaller places, and this credit goes to the BCCI. I hope Mithun will continue this legacy and strive to do even better,” he concluded.

Who Is Mithun Manhas?

Manhas, who will turn 46 in October, was born in Jammu and Kashmir on October 12, 1979. Although he never had the opportunity to play for India, he made a significant impact in the domestic circuit. After retiring in 2017, Manhas joined a sub-committee appointed by the BCCI to run the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association.

Manhas has also gained coaching experience with various teams, including serving as the batting consultant for the Bangladesh men’s Under-19 Team and IPL teams Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Gujarat Titans.

Speaking to the media after his appointment, Manhas said, “It is a huge responsibility, and I assure you that I will be dedicated and passionate in fulfilling it to the best of my abilities. We have the best players, facilities, and the support of millions of people. My only agenda is the development and advancement of BCCI and Indian Cricket.”

(With inputs from ANI)