Almost instantly, the ICC’s search for his successor has started with former Pakistan batsman Majid Khan, who was a part of the committee that met in Dubai as a substitute for Ian Bishop, the front-runner. Another name doing the rounds is of former West Indian skipper Vivian Richards as a “suitable candidate” to match the stature of Gavaskar, a source in the world body said on Thursday. A decision on the matter will be taken only after deliberations in the ICC executive board meeting in Dubai in June.

The Gavaskar issue had snowballed earlier this year after then ICC CEO Malcom Speed said the former Indian skipper had to choose between the cricket committee job and his role as a newspaper columnist because of a conflict of interest. His comments were prompted by Gavaskar’s article criticising the role of match-referee Mike Procter after he banned Harbhajan Singh due to allegations of racism in Australia. It was agreed that Gavaskar would chair this year’s Cricket Committee meeting and then convey his views on which of the two commitments he preferred.

In a statement, Gavaskar detailed the reasons behind his move, “I have thoroughly enjoyed the eight years I have held the role, which is an honourary position, and it has been extremely fulfilling to be able to give back to the game through that role. However, with more and more cricket being played, it has become clear that it is not possible for me to do justice to two jobs, the chairmanship of the ICC Cricket Committee and my media commitments.”

Left IPL commentary

Gavaskar also cited an example. “I had to leave my professional commitments as a commentator on the Indian Premier League matches in order to come and chair this year’s meeting in Dubai. I envisaged the potential for this sort of issue two years ago and intimated then that I was not able to continue in the role, but when I was asked to do so I was honoured to be re-elected. Now, however, it is clear I cannot combine both roles and therefore I am relinquishing the chair of the ICC Cricket Committee.”

ICC’s acting CEO David Richardson expressed his gratitude towards Gavaskar’s contribution.

“We are indebted to the work Sunil has put into his role as Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee. He has brought his vast experience of the game to bear, not only over the eight years of his chairmanship but also the six years prior to that, when he was a delegate on the same committee,” he said. “Having someone of Sunil’s stature involved has to be of benefit to the game and given the ICC’s lengthy relationship with him we hope we can still utilise his knowledge in some other capacity in the future.”