The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is known as the richest cricketing body in the country as far as its history and cricketing achievements are concerned. The 42-time Ranji Trophy champions have produced greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Dilip Vengsarkar and Rohit Sharma, all of whom went on to lead the country. However, other than the late Madhav Mantri, no Mumbai-based international cricketer has served as MCA chief till date.
Mantri, a former Test cricketer, held the post of MCA president from 1987 to 1992. At the last elections in 2022, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team all-rounder Sandeep Patil had contested for the MCA’s chief’s position but lost the battle to the late Amol Kale by 25 votes. This time round, with MCA going to polls on November 12, there are 52 former international cricketers in MCA’s voter list of 375 members. Yet, former India women’s team captain Diana Edulji is the only cricketer in the list of eight candidates who have filed their nomination for the MCA’s president’s position. If Edulji, 69, gets elected, she will also become the first women chief of the MCA.
Edulji has filed her nomination for both, the president and vice-president’s posts. Incumbent MCA president Ajinkya Naik is also in the list as are politicians Prasad Lad, Milind Narvekar and Jitendra Awhad. The other three are Vihang Sarnaik, Suraj Samat and Shahalam Shaikh.
Harmanpreet Kaur & Co’s World Cup triumph over South Africa in the final on Sunday has inspired Edulji to throw her hat into the election ring. “After this World Cup win, I felt, ‘why shouldn’t a woman lead MCA?’
I felt a strong emotion. Let’s see how it goes. If elected, I will definitely help Mumbai teams, both men and women, win more trophies,” Edulji, who led the country in two ODI World Cups in 1978 and 1993, told mid-day on Tuesday.
November 7 is the last date for nomination withdrawal.