BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia | Credits: AFPThe Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is contemplating to discuss the potential granting of associate membership to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It is worth noting that the cricketing infrastructure of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is overseen by the Andaman and Nicobar Cricket Association.However, the association is not affiliated with the BCCI even though the region is one of the eight union territories of India. BCCI to discuss Andaman and Nicobar’s future in upcoming AGMThe BCCI will be conducting its annual general body meeting on September 28 next month. The meeting will be organized in Mumbai. One of the primary agendas of the meeting will be to discuss the future of cricket in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, an Indian union territory where the sport is not affiliated with the BCCI.Also Read- Auqib Nabi's India Snub Takes Ugly Political Turn, PM Narendra Modi CalledAs reported by the Indian Express, the BCCI will be discussing whether to grant an associate membership to the Andaman & Nicobar Islands or not. This will be the first instance where the Indian board will be discussing the possibility of having control over cricket in the prestigious Indian union territory, which is comprised of more than 800 islands and is located more than 1,000 kilometres from the Indian mainland. The BCCI will be seeking opinion of its other member associations regarding this subject, and has already sent a notice to all the members. The agenda of the meeting will reportedly be titled “Grant of Associate Membership to Cricket Association Andaman & Nicobar Island for the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.”Status of cricket in Andaman and NicobarUnlike other Indian union territories like Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir as well as Chandigarh; the Andaman & Nicobar Islands does not have a single representative team in Indian domestic cricket. The Andaman and Nicobar Cricket Association overseas local and regional cricket tournaments, but they do not hold official BCCI recognition. Why does BCCI want to grant associate membership to Andaman and Nicobar Islands?If the Andaman and Nicobar Cricket Association accepts BCCI’s membership, the Indian board can start hosting cricket matches and tournaments in the region. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands can also have a cricket team of its own taking part in Indian domestic competitions like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the prestigious Ranji Trophy. The BCCI will also be able to provide all facilities in the region for the development of the sport. However, the BCCI will be expected to groom cricketers in the region first before including them in major Indian domestic cricket tournaments. As of now, as many as 38 teams take part in BCCI’s annual Indian domestic competitions. While Mumbai is the most successful team in Indian history, Jammu and Kashmir won the 2026 edition of the Ranji Trophy season earlier this year.It is possible that the success of Jammu and Kashmir, an Indian union territory, may have influenced the BCCI to consider granting membership status to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.Also Read- Pakistan's Record At Lord’s: How Have Asian Giants Fared Vs England In Test Whites
