The ICC announced Monday, July 7 that JioStar sports CEO Sanjog Gupta has been named its seventh CEO effective immediately, replacing current ICC CEO Geoff Allardice, who is serving his notice period until the ICC’s Annual General Meeting in July..
cricexec reported back on May 14 of this year that Gupta was the leading candidate and likely to land the role.
ICC Chairman Shah lauds Gupta’s accomplishments in announcement
ICC Chairman, Jay Shah announced the new appointment: “I am pleased to announce that Sanjog Gupta has been appointed as the CEO of the ICC. Sanjog brings extensive experience in sports strategy and commercialisation, which will be invaluable for the ICC.
“His deep understanding of the global sports as well as M&E landscape combined with his continued curiosity about the cricket fan’s perspective and passion for technology will prove essential in our ambition to grow the game in the coming years. Our goal is to move beyond traditional boundaries and establish cricket as a regular sport in the Olympics, growing its expanse across the world and deepening its roots in its core markets.
“We considered several exceptional candidates for this position, but the Nominations Committee unanimously recommended Sanjog. The ICC Board Directors look forward to working closely with him, and I would like to welcome him on behalf of everyone at the ICC.”
Extensive Process
Sanjog’s appointment follows a global recruitment process launched by the ICC in March. The role attracted over 2,500 applications from candidates across 25 countries, reflecting the international appeal and significance of the position. Candidates ranged from leaders associated with sport’s governing bodies to senior corporate executives from across sectors.
The ICC’s HR & Remuneration Committee carefully reviewed and shortlisted 12 candidates, whose profiles were then shared with the Nominations Committee comprising ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, ECB Chair Richard Thompson, SLC President Shammi Silva, and BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia. After a rigorous short-listing process, the Nominations Committee unanimously recommended Mr Gupta. This recommendation was subsequently approved by ICC Chairman Mr Jay Shah after further assessment and evaluation, after which it was ratified by the full ICC Board.
Gupta excited for the role
“It is a privilege to have this opportunity, especially at a time when cricket is poised for unprecedented growth and enjoys the passionate support of almost 2 billion fans worldwide. These are exciting times for the sport as marquee events grow in stature, commercial avenues widen and opportunities such as the women’s game scale in popularity. Cricket’s inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the rapid acceleration of technology deployment/adoption could act as force-multipliers for the Cricket movement around the world .”
“I look forward to contributing to the next phase of cricket’s evolution, expanding its global footprint, enhancing the fan experience, and working closely with ICC Member Boards to build on our strong foundations.”
Gupta’s broadcast background is highly relevant
According to the ICC’s announcement: “Sanjog Gupta has been a driving force behind the transformation of sports broadcasting in India and globally. Gupta has played a pivotal role in shaping the continued growth of marquee Cricket properties such as ICC events & IPL, establishing domestic sports leagues like PKL and ISL, furthering the popularity of global sporting events such as Premier League and Wimbledon and scaling the business across consumer and commercial objectives.
“He began his career as a journalist and joined Star India (now JioStar) in 2010. Over the years, he held multiple leadership roles in content, programming and strategy before becoming Head of Sports at Disney & Star India in 2020. Under his stewardship, the Sports portfolio at Star India scaled across consumer and commercial objectives with a strong emphasis on long-term growth and operational efficiency. Notably, he played a crucial role in developing and executing multi-language, digital-first, and women-centric sports coverage.
“Sanjog was appointed CEO of JioStar Sports in November 2024 following the merger of Viacom18 and Disney Star, forming a powerful new sports media entity. Known for combining business acumen with creative storytelling, he has consistently delivered innovation-led growth across media and sports ecosystems.
Deep ties to Indian cricket and broadcast power
Gupta’s appointment marks a significant shift in cricket’s power structure, further deepening India’s influence at the highest levels of the sport’s global administration.
Gupta’s rise comes in the context of JioStar – the powerful broadcast entity that holds the ICC’s $3 billion global media rights deal – playing an increasingly central role in shaping cricket’s commercial landscape. The company, a joint venture between Viacom18, Reliance Industries, and Disney India, is also the domestic broadcaster of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the most valuable property in cricket.
Gupta is now be the first major executive appointment under new ICC Chair Jay Shah – the former Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India – who assumed the role in December 2024. Their prior collaboration in the Indian cricket ecosystem was seen as a factor strengthening Gupta’s candidacy.
Major challenges await Gupta
Gupta now faces a complex set of challenges, starting with – ironically – sensitive negotiations around the value of JioStar’s ICC media rights deal. Recent geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan have raised questions about whether the two teams will continue to face each other in ICC tournaments – a factor that could significantly impact the commercial appeal of global events.
Beyond media concerns, structural issues in the sport loom large. While the current format of the World Test Championship is set to continue through the 2025-27 cycle, there is increasing pressure to overhaul the competition ahead of the next Future Tours Programme.
Franchise cricket also remains a dominant concern. The IPL is pushing for an expansion from 74 to 94 matches annually starting in 2028, a move that could further encroach on international cricket windows and force a recalibration of the global calendar.
Advocating for the international game
Gupta has been an active voice in the wider conversation about the future of international cricket. He was among the key figures interviewed by the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) during the preparation of its recent report advocating for protected international windows amid the rise of franchise leagues.
As the ICC navigates an increasingly congested and competitive cricket calendar, the appointment of a commercially savvy executive like Gupta could signal a stronger alignment between the game’s administrative and broadcast stakeholders.
India’s growing grip on global cricket
Gupta’s rise to the ICC’s top executive role marks another step in India’s consolidation of power within global cricket governance. With the ICC Chair and the CEO both hailing from India and both tied to its broadcast and board ecosystems, the direction of world cricket could increasingly be steered from the subcontinent.
Gupta will now be tasked with navigating not just the commercial and scheduling pressures facing the game, but also balancing the competing interests of national boards, player unions, broadcasters, and fans – all while managing cricket’s strategic future as it prepares for its Olympic return in 2028.
