Manohar steps down as BCCI president

New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) Ahead of the all-important International Cricket Council (ICC) polls, Shashank Manohar on Tuesday tendered his resignation from the post of president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Manohar, who took over as the national cricket board's president for the second time in October last year, succeeded the late Jagmohan Dalmiya to the post. Resigning barely seven months after taking over as BCCI president, Manohar's second stint at the helm of the world's richest cricket body is the shortest till now.

The Vidharbha cricket strongman also quit as the board's representative on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and also the Asian Cricket Council. With the ICC polls slated for later this month, the 58-year-old has paved his way to take over as the first independent chairman of the world body.

"I hereby tender my resignation with immediate effect from the post of president of Board of Control for Cricket in India. I also resign with immediate effect as the representative of BCCI on the International Cricket Council, as also the Asian Cricket Council on which I was nominated by the general body of BCCI," Manohar said in a letter to BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.

"I thank all my colleagues and the staff for their support and cooperation during my tenure. I wish all of you all the very best in taking the cause of Cricket to greater heights," he added.

The BCCI accepted and confirmed Manohar's resignation from the post of president and acknowledged his contribution towards running the game.

"The BCCI confirms that Shashank Manohar has resigned from the post of president, BCCI. He has also resigned as the BCCI representative on the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Asian Cricket Council," Thakur said in a statement.

"The BCCI places on record its deep appreciation of the immense contribution to Indian cricket made by Manohar," the statement added.

Thakur cited the new ICC guidelines as the reason behind Manohar's resignation.

"He resigned because a candidate for the ICC President's post must be an independent member," Thakur told the media here.

The ICC announced in February that its new chairman would be independent and no longer be able to hold a position with their home board.

The ICC elections will be overseen by the ICC's independent Audit Committee chairman and all present and past ICC directors will be eligible to contest the election.