Sanjog Gupta Assumes New Role as ICC CEO With Plan to Develop Cricket Internationally

The International Cricket Council has appointed Sanjog Gupta as its new Chief Executive Officer officially. The announcement comes at a critical time when cricket is looking to expand big time globally and make more interaction with its fans. Gupta began his new role on July 7 2025 and is the seventh CEO of the ICC. His coming on board is expected to inject new energy and new vision to international cricket.

Sanjog Gupta has been a renowned name in media and sports world for more than twenty years. His professional life began in journalism that later transitioned to media management where he earned a good reputation for heading content and strategy. He joined Star India in 2010 and escalated the ladder step by step by managing major leadership roles. By 2020 he became the Head of Sports in Disney and Star India. Following the massive merger between Viacom18 and Disney Star in 2024, he was made the CEO of JioStar Sports. At JioStar, he headed the Sports and Live Experiences unit where he executed some of the biggest sports events and initiatives in the nation.

The understanding of the international sports ecosystem combined with commercially strong acumen were qualities that were some of the strongest motivations for him being handpicked for this role. As per ICC Chairman Jay Shah Sanjog's acute concentration on sports strategy and commercial growth will be a massive strength for the ICC. Shah added that Gupta also possesses a good understanding of the world of the media and entertainment as well as a passion for technology and a sharp eye on what cricket fans really desire. This combination of know-how and interest is something the ICC feels will carry the sport to new heights.

One of the largest objectives for ICC in the short term is to have cricket become a permanent fixture at the Olympic Games. With its status as one of the sports included at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics the sport is already well on its way in this regard. Jay Shah emphasized that the ICC desires to break away from its conventional paradigms and penetrate new markets while further consolidating the game in its key nations. According to him, Gupta's stewardship is likely to be at the forefront of spearheading this international vision. Shah further revealed that the Nominations Committee had considered numerous outstanding professionals but Gupta's name was overwhelmingly chosen by the Board.

The process of hiring the new ICC CEO was initiated in March 2025 and garnered huge international attention. Over 2500 applications were received from candidates from 25 countries. From these, the HR and Remuneration Committee selected 12 promising names. The last phase of assessment was conducted by a special committee appointed for nominations consisting of ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja ECB Chairman Richard Thompson SLC President Shammi Silva and BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia. Gupta's nomination was unanimously approved by all members of the ICC Board through this lengthy process.

Responding to his appointment Sanjog Gupta stated it was an honor to accept this role at this pivotal moment in cricket's development. He stated that the sport already has huge popularity with nearly 2 billion enthusiastic fans worldwide and that the future years promise even more. He highlighted the ways in which big events are getting larger in size and audience and new business opportunities are arising particularly in the women's game which is witnessing explosive growth in popularity. Gupta feels that deployment of cutting-edge technology and cricket's increased global popularity will facilitate making it a full-fledged worldwide movement.

The new ICC CEO also commented on the importance of working collaboratively with ICC Member Boards and capitalizing on the existing strong foundation. He indicated he is excited to build the future for cricket by taking it to new nations and regions, while enhancing the experience for current fans. Gupta emphasized that the attention will also be given to enhancing fan interaction more thrilling and richer with the help of digital tools innovation and new content initiatives.

The blend of Gupta's strategic bent of mind and his passion for the game is what gives him the edge. His background of handling live sports events and integrating broadcasting and fan engagement makes him an ideal candidate for this position. His path from a journalist to the most senior executive position at the ICC reflects his profound knowledge of how sports content is consumed marketed and enjoyed in the modern fast-moving world.

With cricket playing a major role in the 2028 Olympics and digital advancements providing new avenues to engage with fans the ICC is expecting Sanjog Gupta's tenure to bring cricket the new-found global recognition. His experience of operating with leading media conglomerates and having sports business knowledge inside out places him at a superior position of being able to navigate this critical period.

As Gupta starts this new chapter at the ICC his objective is evident to develop cricket in all nooks and corners of the globe to make it inclusive and accessible and keep fans hooked like never before. The future of cricket is bright and promising with Sanjog Gupta at the helm.