NEW DELHI: Former Delhi skipper Mithun Manhas was on Sunday elected as the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) during its Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mumbai.

At 45, Manhas becomes the 37th chief of the Board, taking over from Roger Binny, who stepped down last month after crossing the age limit of 70.

The ex-all-rounder, who represented Delhi and played 157 First-Class, 130 List A, and 55 IPL matches between 1997-98 and 2016-17, was the unanimous choice after an informal huddle of the Board's key stakeholders in New Delhi earlier this month.

Manhas boasts an impressive domestic record, amassing 9,714 runs in First-Class cricket with 27 centuries, along with 4,126 runs in List A games.

The AGM also ratified the appointment of Amita Sharma as the new chairperson of the women’s selection committee, succeeding Neetu David. The former India pacer, who featured in 116 ODIs, will work alongside Shyama Dey, Jaya Sharma, and Sravanthi Naidu. Their term will officially commence after the Women's World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, scheduled from September 30 to November 2.

On the men's side, former India cricketers RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha were inducted into the senior selection panel, while ex-Tamil Nadu batter S. Sharath was reinstated to the junior selection committee.

Welcoming Manhas' election, former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, attending the AGM as Punjab Cricket Association's representative, said a cricketer at the helm of affairs of the Board was a positive step.

"When a cricketer heads a cricket body, his experience and other qualities help. It's a good decision and it's been happening for the last three terms which is a great thing for the cricketers as well for him to give something back to the game," he said.

"The BCCI has started this and there cannot be anything greater for any cricketer that he can also give something back. I've played a lot of cricket with Mithun since U19 days and I am very happy for him."

Harbhajan also expressed hope that Manhas would focus on strengthening infrastructure across the country.

"I hope that those things which he (perhaps) didn't get in terms of facilities as a cricketer or could not get to that point (in career), from whatever he has learnt so far in his life, he does such a job that no young cricketer is left behind due to lack of infrastructure," he said.

"A lot of development is taking place across the country if we talk about it. New grounds are coming up in new places and cricket is going to smaller venues. The credit goes to the BCCI and I hope Mithun will carry forward the same legacy and does a great job."

Harbhajan also urged the BCCI to contribute towards relief work in flood-hit Punjab and other north Indian states.