Mithun Manhas hailing from Bhaderwah in Doda district of Union Territory (UT) of J&K has become the 37th Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) chief. He succeeds all-rounder Roger Binny who was in the World Cup winning 1983 cricket team led by Kapil Dev. Such was his aura and also backing from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that nobody thought of contesting for the top post. Incidentally, BCCI is today one of the richest sports bodies in the world and undoubtedly the richest cricket body in the world.
Senior Superintendant of Police (SSP) Romesh Kotwal, hailing from Bhaderwah, wrote on his Facebook post: Many many Congratulations to Mithun Manhas. Former Captain of Ranji team Delhi. Son of the Soil from Doda, JK. Proud moment for all of us as he is heading now one of the most powerful sports body of the world.
Reacting to the phenomenal rise of Manhas in the sporting arena, Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh said: It gives me immense satisfaction that Mihtuan Manhas adorns the top BCCI post. It is doubly a matter of pride and joy for me that Mithun hails from the remote Doda district from which our family comes. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, talent is rewarded and Mithun’s rise to the top post is a proof that this government nurtures and rewards talent. During his playing days, Mithun Manhas faced many problems but he surmounted them all, making a name for himself in the cricketing world.
The manner in which Mithun Manhas has become BCCI chief without a contest indicates that all across the sports administration arena, he enjoyed all round support, Dr Singh added. He referred to his own village Kalhota, located in the same Doda district from where Mithun Manhas hails. In the coming days, there will be encouragement for all talented people in the sports world and this augurs well for the country, he added. Mithun Manhas officially became the BCCI chief, after the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai on Sunday, September 28. Mithun is the third consecutive cricketer after Sourav Ganguly and Roger Binny to hold this coveted post.
Succeeding Roger Binny, Manhas has to guide Indian cricket’s administration balancing growth with sustained performance and innovation. The 45-year-old stylish batter, who previously served as Director of Cricket for the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Binny after key decision-makers in Indian cricket met on Saturday to discuss candidates for several positions, including treasurer and IPL chairman.
At the AGM, Rajeev Shukla was declared the vice-president and Devajit Saikia was elected secretary, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia joint secretary and A Raghuram Bhat is the treasurer. As a player, Mithun Manhas had represented three Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises — Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India, and Chennai Super Kings — scoring 514 runs in 55 matches. Post-retirement, he remained closely involved in cricket as a coach and administrator, known for his calm temperament and focus on grassroots development.
A right-handed batsman, he also bowled right-arm off-spin and occasionally kept wickets. He was the first ever player from Jammu and Kashmir long before Umran Malik emerged as a fast bowler who faded too quickly.
Manhas was the captain of the Delhi side for most of the new millennium. He was at the helm when Delhi ended their championship drought in 2007–08, although Gambhir led the side in the semi-final and final. He scored 921 runs in that first-class season at 57.57.
In September 2015, Manhas joined J&K cricket team for the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season. In February 2017, Manhas was appointed assistant coach of Indian Premier League side Kings XI Punjab. In October 2017, Manhas was announced as the batting consultant of the Bangladesh Under-19 team. He was their batting consultant till 2019.
Manhas was hired by the Royal Challengers Bangalore as their assistant coach for the 2019 IPL season. In 2022, Manhas worked as assistant coach of Gujarat Titans.
