CSA clarifies its position as Smith backs Ganguly to lead ICC

As Cricket South Africa's (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith backed former India skipper Sourav Ganguly to head the International Cricket Council (ICC), the Proteas cricket body on Thursday clarified its stand regarding the elections of the ICC.

The remark of CSA came just hours after Smith said that Ganguly is best positioned to lead the ICC at the present stage.

"We must respect both the ICC protocol and our own protocol in deciding which candidate to back. There have been no candidates nominated as yet and once such nominations have been made the Board of CSA will take its decision in terms of its own protocol and give the chairman the mandate to exercise his vote as an ICC Board Director accordingly," CSA President and Chairman of the Board, Chris Nenzani said in an official release.

"We have the highest regard for the opinions of our Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith, who is a well-respected figure in world cricket and has already made an immense contribution in fulfilling his mandate to make our cricket teams world leaders again. At the moment we don't want to anticipate any candidates who may be nominated for this important position to lead the game we all love," he added.

Ganguly is the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). However, ICC's current chairperson Shashank Manohar is expected to step down in June and since the post of chairman will be vacant, Smith decided to vouch for Ganguly.

ICC's elections are slated to be held in July this year and Smith said having a former cricketer as the president of the ICC will help everyone involved.

Ganguly had become the president of the BCCI last year in October last year and he was exceptional in making India play its first day-night Test. India had played its inaugural day-night Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens last year.