Guwahati to Host India-South Africa Test Match, ICC Women’s World Cup Matches in Nov: BCCI Secretary

Guwahati to Host India-South Africa Test Match: Devajit Saikia spoke exclusively to Wasbir Hussain about his exciting journey so far.

From being a first-class cricketer to a lawyer and then becoming the Advocate General of Assam and now the Secretary of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the world’s wealthiest cricket board, Devajit Saikia is a man of many roles. Dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, sitting in the Judge’s Lounge overlooking the Barsapara Cricket Ground in Guwahati, Saikia spoke at length exclusively to Northeast Live Editor-in-Chief Wasbir Hussain about his exciting journey so far and how he played cricket alongside the likes of Sourav Ganguly and against Sachin Tendulkar. Here is the full interview.

Wasbir Hussain: You are a man of many roles. You have had a diverse career having played cricket for Assam, being a lawyer, currently serving as the Advocate General of Assam, and now holding the position of Secretary of the BCCI. You are a top sports administrator now. How has this diverse background shaped your approach towards cricket and sports in general?

Devajit Saikia: As you mentioned, I am a sports administrator, but before that, I was a sportsman, a cricketer. Now, I am also in the legal profession. I see a connection among these different fields in which I operate. As an administrator, I draw from my personal experiences as a player, having faced many challenges in the late 1980s and early 1990s. I understand the struggles at the grassroots level and the mindset of players because I was one myself.

During my playing days, I interacted with many cricketers who later represented India. We had in-depth discussions in the pavilion, on the ground, in hotels, and wherever we met. These conversations helped me understand the challenges they faced, many of which still persist in some areas today. Since I know the players’ perspective, I also understand the other side of the story, the administrators’ viewpoint. Having actively served in the Assam Cricket Association from 2019 to 2020, I have experience of the challenges faced by administrators.

While working in sports administration, I have also witnessed how courts have increasingly become involved in sports-related matters. If you look at the transformation since 2014, cases like the Bihar Cricket Association matter in the Supreme Court, which I regularly attended, have shaped the legal landscape of sports. Similar cases have taken place in football, wrestling, and boxing federations. Judicial interventions have been beneficial to a great extent, as they have corrected issues that were going in the wrong direction. My background in law helps me immensely in my role as a sports administrator. Now, whenever I make a decision in the BCCI or in any sports administration activity, I always consider the legal implications. I constantly think about how a court might scrutinise a decision and whether it would withstand judicial review.

Wasbir Hussain: You also know the aspirations and grievances of different cricket associations at the state level. That must be an advantage?

Devajit Saikia: Definitely. I joined the Assam Cricket Association because I observed many irregularities. Initially, I had no intention of becoming a sports administrator. However, I was hearing numerous complaints from players about how Assam cricket was being mismanaged. There was little to no developmental work, and there were serious allegations of financial mismanagement, corruption, and favouritism in team selections. These issues compelled me to step in, and I am thankful that I did.

Wasbir Hussain: You were a cricketer yourself. Could you share a defining moment from your playing days that still influences your perspective on cricket today?

Devajit Saikia: I played from 1984 to 1991 a span of seven years, which is quite brief in a cricketer’s career. I began my journey in 1984 by playing for the Cooch Behar Trophy (Uttar Pradesh State Schools) and later participated in tournaments like the Vijay Merchant Trophy at the U-15 level. Eventually, I played first-class cricket in the Ranji Trophy from 1988 to 1991. Though my professional cricket career ended there, I continued playing for a few more years at various levels.

One of my defining moments was being selected to represent the East Zone U-17 team in 1988-89. That year, we became the All-India champions by defeating North Zone in the final, West Zone in the semifinal, and Central Zone in the pre-quarterfinals. I had the privilege of sharing a room with former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. In the semifinal, we played against some of the most well-known names in Indian cricket, including Sachin Tendulkar, who was playing for West Zone, Vinod Kambli, and Ajay Jadeja for North Zone. In my team, Sourav Ganguly and Rajib Biswal were among the key players.

Wasbir Hussain: Now, when somebody plays cricket in this case, I’m talking about you naturally, everybody wants to be in the Indian team. Wear the India hat. That may not have happened for you, but ironically, you have gone on to become the Secretary of BCCI, which controls cricket in this country. So, how do you look back? What do you feel?

Devajit Saikia: That is a blessing in disguise. In hindsight, I can say that, but the thing is, every cricketer who steps onto the ground, dreams of playing for India, to wear the India cap. I could go up to the East Zone level, but after that, I could not progress further. At that point in time, cricket was totally different from today’s context.

Most cricketers came from metropolitan cities. Bombay, Delhi, and, to some extent, Calcutta and Chennai. Bangalore was also not contributing a lot of cricketers to the Indian team at that time.

They had a presence, but these four or five major cities were the main contributors to the Indian team. Players from other places were rare. Mahender Singh Dhoni changed that later. In the early 2000s, players from small towns started emerging. Today, we see a number of players from small towns. Who would have thought that a player from Guwahati, like Riyan Parag, could make it to the Indian team?
In the 80s and 90s, the number of matches was also very limited. We had only Test matches, which were multi-day games. Later, 50-over matches started, and much later, we got the T20 format. Now, the number of games has multiplied many times. Back in the 80s and 90s, there were very few matches. Even in Test cricket, there were only two or three series in a year. Now, we have a full calendar year of cricket.

Wasbir Hussain: You mentioned that we only had the conventional forms of cricket, Test matches. Yes, Ranji Trophy was there, but there were no 50-over tournaments or T20 tournaments. Then, the 50-over format came, followed by the T20 format. Now, can we expect cricket to have an even newer format in the days to come?

Devajit Saikia: Sitting in the BCCI chair, as well as being part of the ICC, I won’t comment on this at this point. However, in the cricketing world, some other formats are being played, though they are not official. We do not want to promote those activities unless they receive approval from the ICC.

Wasbir Hussain: But in today’s world, anything can happen.

Devajit Saikia: Nothing is static; everything is dynamic. Even in football, a lot of changes are taking place rules and regulations are evolving. Similarly, in cricket, rules and formats are constantly changing. Earlier, people had to be involved in five-day Test matches. Then, the ODI format came. Now, the T20 format condenses the game into a shorter time span.

Wasbir Hussain: Yes. But even for a T20 match, from the time people leave their homes to when they return, it takes about five to six hours.

Devajit Saikia: Yes, a minimum of five hours of full entertainment. Even entering the stadium is fun. And going back is another fun experience.
T20 is already a short format, but it offers thrill and electrifying moments within a limited time. I don’t think people will mind spending some time watching it.

Wasbir Hussain: What motivated you to transition from your legal profession? Of course, you are still the Advocate General once a lawyer, always a lawyer, I know that but what actually motivated you to transition to cricket administration?

Devajit Saikia: Administration, because I have just told you that I saw certain things were not moving in the right direction for local cricket. So, I had to get myself involved. There was an acute shortage of grounds, and the infrastructure in Assam was inadequate. There was no proper structure for cricket tournaments in Assam. Sometimes they happened, sometimes they did not. How the teams were being selected, nobody knew.
Lot of players were taken from outside just to complete our team. These things were not serving the interest of cricketers in Assam or the game of cricket in the state. So, I took it up as a challenge because I had heard a lot from the players, and I had personally gone through the process and experienced the difficulties. There was an acute shortage of matches before BCCI tournaments.

So, I had to take action, and since I had suffered myself, I knew what the options were or the way forward. That was the motivating factor.

Since I was a lawyer and a part of the legal field, there were also many litigations going on in the Gauhati High Court.

So, I was always debating in court regarding the development of cricket, and sometimes we even had to quarrel. Sometimes we were not even on talking terms (with opponent lawyer) when it came to cricket.

Wasbir Hussain: You took over as BCCI Secretary in January from Mr. Jay Shah, your predecessor. What are some of the key priorities that you have set for yourself during your tenure?

Devajit Saikia: So, this is within the tenure like Jay Shah had his tenure of three years in BCCI, and under him, we all worked from 2020 to October 2024. We had set a plan for this three-year term. In the meantime, with about one year left, Jay Shah was elevated and elected unopposed to the post of ICC Chair.

That was a huge promotion for him, a great honour for him, with whom we worked for two and a half years. A great honour for him, as well as for the country and for BCCI. Such a young man, he is only 34 or 35 years old and he is now handling the highest post in the game of cricket.

So, that is a great honour. He laid down some major programs for BCCI. One of them was the introduction of the WPL in 2022, which has now been a game-changer in women’s cricket in India. Jay Shah introduced women’s cricket, brought parity, and we were all part of his team when all these decisions were taken. So, we have to set these things in motion. And after I took over as Secretary, I was lucky to host the third edition of the WPL, which concluded about ten days ago.

The other things we had planned for these three years we are just pursuing them. Because, back to back, I took charge in December and was formally elected on January 12 this year. Now, I have a tenure till November. So, whatever we have to do everything was planned earlier.

Back-to-back events: When I took charge, the Champions Trophy was in the offing. Then the England series, England came to India.

When I took charge, we were in the midst of the Australia Test series. Then, after that, the England team came, they played the T20 series and the ODI series. Immediately after that, the big challenge was the Champions Trophy. We were very lucky to be the champions in Dubai.

In the meantime, our women’s Under-19 team played in the ICC World Cup in Malaysia, where we won the gold medal the championship.

Thereafter, the IPL is now going on. And immediately after the IPL is over, within one week, our senior team will go to England for a five-day series. That is the biggest challenge now. We played poor Test cricket against New Zealand and Australia.

Now, we have to overcome that trauma and look forward with new strength and vigour so that in England, we perform well in red-ball cricket. Immediately after the England series is over, we have to host the Women’s ODI World Cup, an ICC tournament. That is another marquee tournament that will take place during my tenure.

So, we cannot think about anything else beyond what is already in the pipeline. Jay Shah and our team planned it before, and I am just carrying forward whatever was set in motion. I am the person in charge of doing it, but the planning was done when Jay Shah was at the helm of affairs.

Wasbir Hussain: Absolutely. But giving shape to the planning, implementing the planning, is also a big task because Mr. Jay Shah may be overseeing affairs, but he is now involved at a broader level?

Devajit Saikia: Absolutely. And he is always our guiding force. Although he may be in the ICC, whenever we have any issues or problems, we can always reach out to him for solutions. He is a person who has been involved in active cricket administration since 2009.

He shaped the Gujarat Cricket Association. He was instrumental in constructing the biggest cricket stadium in the world Narendra Modi Stadium. He personally monitored everything from the bricks to the canopy he oversaw everything.

So, he has that kind of expertise. Now, he is in a bigger field with the ICC. I know the ICC has a lot of challenges. I am sure he will have a glorious career there.

Wasbir Hussain: Mr. Devajit Saikia, as the Secretary of BCCI, you are also on the ICC Board. How do you intend to balance Indian cricket with global cricket?

Devajit Saikia: I do not have to balance anything; rather, I have to promote the interests of Indian cricket within the ICC Board. I am a representative of BCCI in ICC, and all my activities will be focused on how to get the best from ICC for the development of BCCI. That is my priority.

But within ICC, I am part of three committees one is the Finance and Marketing Committee, one is the HR Committee, and the third is the Nomination Committee.

When I sit in those committees, I definitely have to think about global cricket.

Whatever role is given to me because from April 10 to April 15, we have a series of committee meetings in Harare, as well as in another city in Zimbabwe. Once I am there, I will be looking after all these activities, and after that, I will be able to share more about world cricket development.

But in the ICC, my immediate role when I took charge as Board Director in December was dealing with the challenge of hosting the Champions Trophy and deciding whether India would participate.

That was the first situation I faced immediately after assuming my role as Board Director in ICC. There were a lot of negotiations, and I was fortunate to be a part of the discussions that resolved the issue. The outcome is now visible to everyone.

Wasbir Hussain: Yes, absolutely. Now, another very interesting milestone approaching is the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Olympics. That is a very big thing. How are you preparing to send the first team in the 2028 Olympics?

Devajit Saikia: It is still a long way to go. Now we are in 2025. So, we have to plan for the Olympics much later. If you look at this kind of cricket, India participated in the Asian Games a couple of years ago. At that point in time, India sent a team to Ireland, India sent a team to Sri Lanka, and one of our teams was playing in China, where the Olympics were happening. So, we will definitely have to plan it, but it is too far away from now to think about the Olympics. Whenever the Olympic dates are announced and the format is decided, we will have to prepare our team accordingly.

Wasbir Hussain: How challenging is it for the BCCI? Because in club cricket, there is one format, now there is the IPL, and now there will be the Olympics. Do you think that will create a lot of pressure? Because already, in cricket, player workload and mental health issues are being discussed frequently. How are you dealing with it?

Devajit Saikia: BCCI is absolutely not involved with any club cricket. We are involved with franchise cricket, which is the IPL. The other involvement is with bilateral series and ICC tournaments. Nowadays, we have committees that schedule the tours and matches well in advance. We have a large pool of cricketers now.

Many players focusing on white-ball cricket are not interested in playing multi-day cricket, which is red-ball cricket in Test matches. Apart from that, we have our local domestic cricket, where we have white-ball cricket in the form of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. In red-ball cricket, we have the Ranji Trophy. Since we have multiple players and a very strong bench strength, we can always field two or three teams. The other day, our senior cricketer Gavaskar said that India can field three teams Team A, Team B, and Team C, which is 100% correct. Players will have to decide which format they will play and which tournaments they would prefer not to participate in.

However, a few players are always common across all formats, so the challenge is more for them. They have to put in additional effort to stay fit both physically and mentally. They need to plan their schedule accordingly. From BCCI’s perspective, we have a set norm, players must participate in domestic cricket to be considered for selection in the national team. That is the criteria.

If a player has a genuine reason for not playing domestic cricket despite being available, they have to submit a request, which the national selectors will review.

Wasbir Hussain: Recently, we saw even a player like Virat Kohli playing domestic cricket.

Devajit Saikia: Because we made it mandatory that those who are available in India and, at that time, are not part of any Indian team playing in an ICC tournament or a bilateral series must participate in domestic cricket. The main reason is that it keeps them in touch with the game.

Additionally, it allows younger players or those not yet donning the Indian colours to play alongside senior players, share the same pavilion, and learn to develop their cricketing talent.

Wasbir Hussain: Earlier, cricketers used to come mainly from metropolitan cities. However, that trend was broken by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who came from Ranchi. Since then, cricketers have been emerging from small towns all over the country. Is it the traditional way of talent scouting still being followed, or do you have a comprehensive scheme to spot talent from all across the country?

Devajit Saikia: We have selection committees at both the senior and junior levels. There are five selectors from five zones who form the National Selection Committee. We have a very robust domestic cricket structure, starting from the U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, and the Ranji Trophy in the men’s section. Similarly, for women’s cricket, we have U-15, U-19, U-23, and senior-level tournaments. We also have a women’s selection committee.

Every day, I receive emails requesting approval for selectors to travel to various locations. These selectors are doing their best to travel across the country, ensuring that at least one selector is present at every match to identify emerging talents. This is a very serious business. In a single cricketing season, we host more than 2,200 matches. Our General Manager of Game Development, Abhay Kuruvilla, is also putting in a lot of hard work with his dedicated team.

Everyone is closely monitoring games and identifying new, raw talent. Additionally, we have a Center of Excellence in Bangalore, formerly known as the National Cricket Academy. Last year, when Jay Shah was the secretary, he inaugurated it and upgraded it to a Center of Excellence. It is now doing a wonderful job by organising seasonal camps for budding and young cricketers.

Wasbir Hussain: Now, Guwahati has become a cricketing destination. We are now sitting in Barsapara Cricket Stadium, which is one of the most talked-about stadiums. We are hosting two IPL matches, and in November, there will be women’s ODIs along with five to six other matches. How do you look at cricket infrastructure? I understand that this stadium has a 40,000 capacity. I am also told that another brand-new stadium is being built in Guwahati.

Devajit Saikia: The second stadium is the brainchild of our honourable Chief Minister, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma. About a year ago, he took the initiative to build a stadium in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and requested me to be a part of the committee responsible for designing and overseeing the project. The Public Works Department is involved, and the construction has been assigned to an agency. The work is progressing at full speed.

The initial target for completion was March 2026, but due to the rapid pace of work, it may be completed four months earlier. The agency in charge of construction has assured that the stadium, which will be beautifully designed and well-located, with a capacity of about 22,000, will be handed over to the government of Assam by December 2025.

Wasbir Hussain: As someone from Assam, don’t you think Assam should also have an IPL franchise?

Devajit Saikia: During the IPL expansion auction three years ago, when BCCI decided to increase the number of teams from eight to ten, Guwahati was in the race. Six cities were shortlisted – Guwahati, Indore, Kochi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Cuttack. Some franchise owners bid for Guwahati as well. Ultimately, Lucknow and Ahmedabad were selected, and Guwahati was left out. However, in the future, if more teams are added, Guwahati will always be a contender. Even for the Women’s Premier League (WPL), Guwahati was in the bidding process.

Wasbir Hussain: Sooner or later, we may see an IPL franchise from Guwahati. And I proposed the name ‘Rhino Chargers’. Let’s keep that in mind!

Devajit Saikia: Yes that is a nice name you have already given, but ultimately, the franchise owner will make the final decision.

Wasbir Hussain: A lot of people in the cricketing world, especially administrative bodies, envy the BCCI because it is the world’s wealthiest cricket governing body. In 2023-24, BCCI earned around Rs 15,000 to 17,000 crore in revenue. Cricket Australia, in comparison, earns only about 700 crores.

Devajit Saikia: That figure has an update. That is why Jay Shah is considered one of the most successful administrators he tripled BCCI’s revenue during his tenure, bringing financial strength to an entirely different level.

Wasbir Hussain: I know BCCI is the cricket governing body, but is BCCI also looking at the development of other sports outside cricket? Because on and off, we get reports in the media that BCCI is helping this other sport, BCCI is helping a sportsperson.

Devajit Saikia: Till now, we have not expanded in that way, but we are always part of our Olympic movement.
So, we try to contribute whenever the Indian team is sent to participate in the Olympics. Recently, in the Paris Olympics also, there was a huge contribution from BCCI. Earlier also, we have done it. Definitely, in the coming times, maybe we can expand our activities to other sports, but there will always be conflicts. That is why only financial aid may be granted to some other sports, but we cannot be involved in the legislation of other games.

Only financial assistance yes, maybe that door is open, and maybe our constitution also permits that, but till now, actively, we have not done anything other than helping the Indian Olympics team in times of need.

Wasbir Hussain: We are getting to hear that a U-14 tournament is going to be held in the Northeastern region, covering the eight states. Is BCCI in any way involved in that?

Devajit Saikia: BCCI has no system of organising any under-14 tournaments. The tournament you just mentioned has been decided by the states of the Northeastern region, the six states plus Assam and Tripura. These six states, which are part of the Northeastern Zone in the BCCI structure, along with two teams, Assam and Tripura, which fall into the East Zone, have recently discussed and decided to introduce a tournament for the overall development of cricket among the younger generation in these states.

They have decided to start a tournament in Guwahati from April 19 for all the U-19 boys of these six or eight states. This tournament is much needed because BCCI starts its official tournaments from the U-16 level onwards, beginning with the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Before playing in a BCCI tournament, these boys are not exposed to any structured cricket.

So, they directly start playing at the U-16 level. I have observed that in other zones, like the West Zone, they have had this tournament for several decades. The South Zone has also been organising this tournament for many years at the U-14 level. However, this is not part of BCCI’s cricket structure.

Seeing these developments in other zones, I wanted and requested all these states to join hands and start this tournament so that it would provide a proper platform for young, budding cricketers to enter into competitive cricket. This is precisely the objective behind this initiative. I am sure that once it starts, it will grow, and in the meantime, we can introduce similar tournaments for girls as well.

Wasbir Hussain: When you say a tournament for girls, is there an overall plan for developing women’s cricket in Assam, particularly?

Devajit Saikia: In Assam, during my tenure as General Secretary, we started several tournaments, including the Kanaklata Barua Inter-District Tournament, which did not exist earlier. In 2021 or 2022, we floated the idea of starting the Kanaklata Barua Cricket Tournament for women. I initially thought that hardly five or six districts would participate. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that 18 teams volunteered to participate. And now, with about 40 units, it is expected to touch 30 teams soon. Women’s cricket is progressing and developing in every nook and corner of the state.

If you look at Uma Chetry and Jintimani Kalita’s success, many young girls now see a future in cricket. They are leaving other sports and joining cricket because BCCI provides a secure and structured cricketing future for them. This has encouraged young cricketers, especially girls, to take up cricket.

Wasbir Hussain: When you say parity as far as allowances and salary are concerned, that has changed the face of Indian cricket, as many would know.

Devajit Saikia: That is a game-changer in women’s sport. In India, when Jay Shah was the secretary of BCCI, he floated this idea in one of the apex council meetings, and there was some resistance also. So, Jay Shah got that through that our women cricketers should get the same remuneration as men while playing for the country. That was a huge boost for women’s cricket in India. It has encouraged them and given a very positive message. We always talk about women empowerment; this is the kind of step that is actually required for women. After this, many English and American sports bodies have done the same thing.

Wasbir Hussain: Okay, they have taken a cue from the BCCI.

Devajit Saikia: Yeah, absolutely, they have taken a cue and followed it.

Wasbir Hussain: I am asking you a slightly different question. Recently, the Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, under his initiative, organized a very successful Advantage Assam 2.0 business summit. There was global attention on Assam because diplomats from 70 countries attended. They were led by none other than our External Affairs Minister. Then, top business tycoons came, and Guwahati or Assam for that matter was suddenly known to the outside world because the Tatas also came and invested in a 27,000-crore semiconductor unit. Now, that has again propelled Assam into the global limelight. Now that Assam is becoming a cricketing venue, do you think that is also going to assist in a way? Both business and cricket—are they going to complement and supplement each other?

Devajit Saikia: Absolutely. This is another vertical in which we can always grow. Not only EMA Jaishankar, but the Honourable Prime Minister also came for that. So that is one area where our industry and business will grow. Parallelly, we are also having the test match in Guwahati from November onwards.

Wasbir Hussain: From when?

Devajit Saikia: From November. It will be India versus South Africa. The second test is scheduled to be played here in the stadium. Just one month prior to that, we are going to have the ICC Women’s World Cup tournament here. Five or six matches will be hosted in Guwahati.

And that will bring Assam to a different level as far as international cricket is concerned. Of course, we are hosting bilateral tournaments, and we have already hosted warm-up matches of the 2023 Men’s World Cup. But these two events the Women’s World Cup and the Test match will elevate us to a different level. I am sure, now with IPL happening here, many other industrial activities are also going on.

There is a huge positive effect on the overall economy of our state. Now, you are only seeing the players playing and the teams coming, but you have also seen so many people involved in these activities, from transporters to cleaning staff. So, it has a big positive impact on the economy. For that purpose, BCCI is also considering conducting a proper study on how IPL is impacting the social and economic growth of our country.

Most probably, we are trying to rope in some agencies to conduct that exercise.

Wasbir Hussain: A lot of people want to know, such a big sports governing body, BCCI, must have transparency, accountability, and good governance. I’m sure you have all the systems in place. How are you looking into these aspects, which are always in the media and public consciousness?

Devajit Saikia: If you look at cricket administration from 2019 onwards, there has been a paradigm shift. The Supreme Court, in August 2018, passed an order that all BCCI units must adopt a new constitution, which BCCI did. Thereafter, all state associations had to adopt an identical constitution.

This constitution was drafted under the monitoring of the Honourable Supreme Court. Now, in our apex council whether it is BCCI or the state associations the CAG’s representatives must be there in BCCI. Similarly, in the state associations, the Accountant General’s nominee must be there. The Supreme Court compelled BCCI to include this clause because the individuals auditing the finances of the country or the state, representatives of constitutional authorities, must be a part of us and monitor every financial transaction within the state associations or the national association, which is the BCCI.

So, huge financial activities take place, but everything is very transparent, fair, and follows all the required norms for public administration.

Wasbir Hussain: You have seen it all. You played yourself, then you were with the Assam Cricket Association, and now you are the Secretary of BCCI. How do you see Indian cricket five years down the line, and what legacy do you hope to leave as BCCI Secretary personally?

Devajit Saikia: I cannot foresee what legacy I will leave. But whatever responsibilities I have, I have to fulfill them diligently, sincerely, and with the utmost dedication, without any blame. My only concern is that I should not do anything wrong that will bring a bad name to BCCI or my state. This is my prime focus. Those who have reposed confidence in me I should not betray their trust and belief in me.

These are personal principles that I follow very diligently. On the other hand, BCCI has been performing wonderfully over the last eight months. From Barbados, India became the T20 champion. In February, we became the U-19 Women’s World Cup champion in Malaysia.
Yes, and in Dubai in March, we won the Champions Trophy. So, three ICC trophies within a span of seven months. The sky is the limit.
The sky is the limit, and we definitely would like to win the gold medal in the Olympics, which is going to happen in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Wasbir Hussain: Now, finally, what would you like to tell the budding cricketers of our state and the Northeast as a whole, as the BCCI Secretary or as someone from Assam?

Devajit Saikia: Play your game very sincerely, with a very positive mindset. If you perform well, you can always go up, and your ultimate goal should be to play for the country. With that ambition, you should practice and dedicate yourself. Now, we have a very fair and transparent system of selection, and there is a proper structure for cricket in place, so you have every opportunity. The only thing you need to do diligently is to dedicate your whole life to cricket while keeping your studies intact.

Because you cannot neglect your studies. Play your game, but at the same time, concentrate on your education. Be sincere, do not go down the wrong path—there are a lot of deviations and distractions. Focus your attention on cricket, work hard, study well, and success will be waiting for you at the end of the road.

Wasbir Hussain: And the biggest assurance is that an organisation like BCCI is absolutely open and transparent, so merit is the only criterion.

Devajit Saikia: And you have a lot of opportunities, a lot of scope now. You can try to play for the state, for the zone, or for the country.

And if nothing else happens, IPL franchises are always there.

Wasbir Hussain: Absolutely. Devajit Saikia, it’s a pleasure talking to you.

Devajit Saikia: Thank you so much.

Also Read: Advocate General of Assam, Devajit Saikia Resigns from Gauhati HC Bar Association

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