Ajinkya Naik, 37, has become the youngest president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), defeating Sanjay Nail by a margin of 107 votes. Naik received 221 votes, while Nail garnered 114. Both candidates were incumbent office bearers of the Association.
Naik now joins a distinguished group of former MCA leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Ashish Shelar, and Manohar Joshi. He expressed his admiration for Pawar, who went on to lead the BCCI and ICC, and dedicated his victory to the late Amol Kale, whose untimely passing necessitated the election. Naik, previously the MCA secretary, pledged to continue Kale's legacy and enhance Mumbai cricket's quality.
Naik also plans to improve cricket facilities at Mumbai's Maidans and organise a career fair, aiming to secure stable employment for local cricketers through government and corporate partnerships. He emphasised the need for regular jobs for Mumbai players, rather than temporary contract roles, and intends to advocate for their employment in various organisations.