Sunday, January 12 is going to be a very special day for the Board of Control for Cricket in India. After waiting for about one and a half months, the world's richest cricket board is going to get a new secretary. The most powerful position in the Indian Board is that of Secretary and now Devjit Saikia is going to sit on this post, who has been associated with BCCI for more than two years. Saikia's name will be officially announced in a Special General Meeting (SGM) of BCCI on Sunday. In such a situation, every cricket fan of the country would also like to know who is Devjit Saikia? How did he reach the most powerful position in the world's richest cricket board?

Played junior and senior cricket for Assam

Devjit Saikia, about 56 years old, is not an ordinary cricket administrator, rather he himself has been a first class cricketer. Born in April 1969 in Guwahati, Assam, and brought up there, Saikia also played cricket during his school-college days. He also made a place in the state team of Assam and also played 4 matches of Ranji Trophy. Saikia mainly played the role of a wicketkeeper and was also a middle order batsman.

Before joining the senior team, Saikia participated in the CK Nayudu Trophy, the most important tournament of BCCI, at the junior level in 1984. Then soon he also got a chance to play in the Vijay Merchant Trophy for the Under-15 team of Assam. He also scored an unbeaten 55 runs in his very first match of this tournament. In 1987, he scored a brilliant century against Odisha in the Under-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On the basis of this performance, he soon got a place in the senior East Zone team, where he was also seen playing with stars like Sourav Ganguly. Then in 1989 he made his debut in Ranji Trophy and played 4 matches.

Youngest Advocate General of Assam

However, gradually he moved away from the cricket field and left the game at the age of just 21 to continue his studies. After completing his law studies, he made it his profession. Saikia started his practice as an advocate in the Gauhati High Court in 1997 and gradually made a name for himself in the world of advocacy. In 2021, Saikia was appointed Advocate General of Assam and became the youngest person to hold this post.

Such was the journey till becoming BCCI Secretary

Even though Saikia was away from cricket action on the field, his love for cricket did not end and he made his place in cricket administration from the local level itself. In 2014, he achieved success in the court against the ongoing corruption in Assam Cricket Association (ACA). After this, in 2016 he became the Vice President of ACA. Then in 2019, Saikia became the Secretary of ACA for the first time and from here in 2022, he was elected Joint Secretary in BCCI.

Saikia was acting as BCCI secretary in the interim after Jay Shah took over as ICC chairperson in December 2024. According to the constitution of the board, if any post becomes vacant, it has to be filled within 45 days and elections are held for this. This time also the same process was adopted and Saikia filed nomination for the post of Secretary. However, no other candidate stood before him, so on January 12, he will be formally elected secretary unopposed.