Ganguly ‘forced out’ as India cricket chief

NEW DELHI: Sourav Ganguly is set to be replaced as president of Indian cricket, with the former captain’s backers claiming he has been forced out for refusing to join the ruling political party.

Ganguly is widely regarded as one of the sport’s greatest captains and has been in charge of the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the past three years.

He had been widely tipped to earn a second term as president when the board holds its annual general meeting next Tuesday.

But Ganguly, 50, is said to have declined to join Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

This week the 1983 World Cup winner Roger Binny filed his nomination to replace Ganguly and will likely be elected unopposed next week, board vice-president Rajeev Shukla told reporters.

Politicians from Ganguly’s home state of West Bengal alleged that the former batsman was forced out.