Former Assam cricket player Devajit Saikia has been formally named the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) new secretary. He succeeded Jay Shah, who assumed the role of ICC Chairman on December 1, 2024.

At the board’s Special General Meeting (SGM) on Sunday, Saikia was chosen to serve as secretary. As the meeting’s treasurer, Prabhtej Singh Bhatia has also assumed leadership.

The only two people nominated for the positions were Saikia and Prabhtej. Notably, Saikia was appointed the BCCI’s interim secretary after Jay Shah resigned to become the ICC chair.

Roger Binny, the president of the BCCI, appointed Saikia as the interim secretary by using his constitutional authority.

Binny gave Saika, a former first-class cricket player and state advocate general, secretarial authority by citing BCCI constitution article 7(1)(d). “If there is a vacancy or a change in disposition, the president will assign the duties to another officeholder until the vacancy is filled or the indisposition stops.

As a result, I assign you the duties of secretary until the position is filled via procedures established in accordance with BCCI policies and procedures. “I have no doubt that you will carry out the responsibilities with excellence and to the best of your abilities,” Binny wrote to Saikia.

Saikia received his first task ahead of schedule when he and BCCI President Roger Binny attended a meeting to review India’s performance against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Rohit Sharma reportedly attended the meeting.

When Saikia was appointed as one of the six vice presidents of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) in 2016, under the leadership of Hemanta Biswa Sarma, who is now the Chief Minister of Assam, he began his career in cricket administration. Later, in 2019, he was appointed secretary of the ACA.