Through its financial strength, political connections and media, India has long had a considerable influence over how cricket is played, broadcast and governed across the globe.

Concerns over what that means for other competing nations have increased following the unopposed election of the politically-connected Jay Shah as the chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) last December. Shah still serves as secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Billion-dollar stake in ICC

The BCCI is the richest cricket board in the world and runs the Indian Premier League (IPL), one of sport's richest and most successful competitions. Between 2024 and 2027, it is projected to earn $1.15 billion (€1 billion) — nearly 39% of the ICC's total annual revenue.

This comes largely from the huge sums broadcasters pay for television rights for a market of over 1.4 billion people, allowing India to shape everything from tournament schedules to ICC media rights.

IPL influence

The IPL is deeply entwined with Indian politics. It is overseen by the BCCI, with the competition's current chairman Arun Dhumal —brother of lawmaker Anurag Thakur of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party — underscoring the direct overlap between political power and cricket governance. Thakur, himself, a former BCCI president, was removed in 2017 by the Supreme Court over mismanagement concerns.

Political influence in the IPL extends beyond leadership. Pakistani players, who featured in the 2008 inaugural season, have been effectively barred ever since the Mumbai terror attacks later that year. In response, the Indian government revoked their visas, and the BCCI quietly excluded them from all future player auctions.

Even IPL scheduling reflects political realities. In 2009, the entire tournament was shifted to South Africa, and in 2014, 20 matches were moved to the United Arab Emirates, as the Indian government said it couldn't guarantee security during national elections. The IPL's alignment with state priorities illustrates how cricket in India often mirrors — and serves — political interests. 

Jay Shah and the confluence of cricket and politics

The election of Shah, who is the son of Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, as ICC chair, has fueled concerns about the BCCI's level of control over global cricket.

This dual role breaks with prior norms, where the ICC chair was expected to be independent from any national cricket board. Critics have argued that this undermines the ICC's role as a neutral global governing body.

When Shah's predecessor, Greg Barclay, was elected to the post in 2020, he resigned as chair of New Zealand Cricket. When he stepped down as ICC chair four years later, he implicitly criticized his successor for not following suit.

"We're really lucky to have India," Barclay said in an interview with UK newspaper The Telegraph in December. "They're a massive contributor to the game across all the measures, but one country having that amount of power and influence does distort a whole lot of other outcomes, which is not necessarily helpful in terms of that global growth."

Shah has not commented on his possible conflicts of interest since his appointment in December. At the time, he said: "I am committed to working closely with the ICC team and all of our member nations to further globalize cricket."

Coach and politician

Gautam Gambhir, former Indian opener and current head coach of the national team, has also played a prominent dual role in both cricket and politics. In 2019, he joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, saying: "I have been influenced by the prime minister (Narendra Modi), his vision for the country. This is a fabulous platform for me to do something for the country."

In March 2024, he announced his exit from active politics to return full-time to cricket, before taking on the head coach role for the national team.

Following a deadly attack in Kashmir in 2025, Gambhir called for a complete freeze on bilateral cricket with Pakistan. He argued that national security should take precedence over sporting diplomacy — though this was not a stance the BCCI or BJP themselves spoke of publicly.

India, Pakistan relations fraught

India's influence in cricket is visible in its relationship with Pakistan. The two countries have not played a bilateral series since 2013, largely due to political tensions following military escalations and terror-related incidents.

Shah's influence after being appointed chair of cricket's global governing body was clearly shown at the start of 2025.

While Pakistan had participated in the 2023 ICC World Cup held in India under heavy security restrictions, in November 2024 India's government refused permission for their cricket team to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy the following year.  

After a series of compromises and negotiations, the PCB agreed to a reciprocal deal where Pakistan's matches in ICC events hosted by India for the next five years would also be played at neutral venues, under Shah's watch. But Lahore was denied hosting the Champions Trophy final, after India qualified for the showpiece.

Potential new ICC CEO could be Indian media mogul

According to a May 2025 investigation by British daily The Guardian, Sanjog Gupta, head of sports at Jiostar — India's largest media conglomerate — is the leading candidate to become the next ICC CEO when Geoff Allardice vacates the role in July.

Jiostar holds a $3 billion broadcasting rights deal for ICC events. If Gupta assumes the role, both the ICC chair and CEO would be Indian nationals overseeing a structure where Indian broadcasters hold the largest financial stake.

India's rise as the superpower of world cricket is rooted in its financial weight, but it's now sustained by political influence and media control. 

While this has brought modernization and commercialization to sport, it has also created a monopolistic structure that threatens the game's diversity and equity to the detriment of Pakistan and other, smaller cricketing nations.

Edited by: Chuck Penfold and Matt Pearson