The Karnataka State Association is all set to appoint former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad as the next president of the state board. Prasad emerged as the lone contender in the upcoming December 7 elections and his candidature, cleared by electoral officer Dr. B. Basavaraju (IAS Retd), passed the scrutiny stage without objections, placing him in an uncontested position.
The withdrawal and disqualification of rival aspirants cleared the path even further. KN Shanth Kumar’s nomination was rejected on technical grounds, while Kalpana Venkatacahar opted out of the race before the final list was prepared. The association later noted,
"With this development, Venkatesh Prasad B.K. is now poised to be elected unopposed to the post of President."
The scrutiny process was supervised by retired High Court judge Justice Subhash B. Adi, who monitored the procedural compliance.
Prasad, who represented India in both Tests and ODIs through the 1990s, had previously served as KSCA vice-president during Anil Kumble’s tenure. His earlier administrative stint also coincided with Javagal Srinath holding the secretary’s post, marking a period dominated by former cricketers in leadership roles.
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Former players enter KSCA’s leadership fray
Alongside Prasad, several other ex-cricketers received approval for their nominations. Sujith Somasundar, listed for the posts of vice-president and secretary, cleared the screening process without objections. He had recently resigned from his role as head of education at the BCCI Centre of Excellence to engage in state-level administration.
Avinash Vaidya, another former Karnataka player, also secured approval for his nominations for joint secretary and a position on the managing committee.
The KSCA elections have drawn increased attention due to the return of several former players seeking administrative roles. The association confirmed that all valid nominations have been processed, and the uncontested nature of the top post now places Prasad on course for formal induction once the election is ratified.
The Karnataka State Board is already fighting with a number of issues, especially after the deadly victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. With Prasad coming in, the state will look after him for a smooth run.
