Devajit Saikia replaces Jay Shah as BCCI secretary

Former Assam cricketer Devajit Saikia has officially taken over as the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), succeeding Jay Shah, who vacated the position after assuming the role of chairman of the International Cricket Council. Saikia’s appointment comes after the position remained vacant for over a month.

Saikia’s first official duty in the new role was to attend a meeting with BCCI president Roger Binny. The meeting, which also saw the attendance of India’s Test captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir, focused on analyzing India’s performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.

Sources revealed that the discussions were comprehensive, particularly around the Indian team's struggles in Test cricket. A major point of concern was the underperformance of the batting lineup despite its strong potential. The meeting delved into the reasons behind this slump and explored potential solutions.

Officials have indicated that all insights from the meeting have been documented, and steps to address the issues will be taken after the Champions Trophy.

Devajit Saikia, hailing from Assam, has had a diverse career spanning cricket, law, and administration. As a former first-class cricketer, Saikia played four matches between 1990 and 1991 as a wicketkeeper, amassing 53 runs and making 9 dismissals. Despite his brief cricketing career, he made notable contributions on the field.

After retiring from cricket, Saikia pursued a career in law, beginning his practice at the Gauhati High Court at the age of 28. Before establishing himself in the legal profession, he secured positions in the Northern Frontier Railways and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through sports quotas.

Saikia’s involvement in cricket administration began in 2016 when he became one of the six vice presidents of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), under the leadership of Hemanta Biswasarma, now the Chief Minister of Assam. Saikia later rose to the position of ACA secretary in 2019, further solidifying his presence in cricket management.