South African spinner says BCCI controls ICC, claims players can only "control the controllables"

South Africa spinner Simon Harmer has stirred debate in the cricket world after claiming that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) effectively controls the International Cricket Council (ICC) because of India’s enormous financial influence on the sport. But is it really a new debate?

Speaking to The Guardian, the veteran off spinner said India’s commercial strength has tilted the balance of power in global cricket, leaving other nations with very little influence in comparison.

“Because of India’s commercial power, they have all the power. BCCI controls the ICC. But what can we do? As players, we just control the controllables. The only thing that changes the narrative is winning trophies,” Harmer said.

Harmer’s comments have gained further attention because the current ICC Chairman is Jay Shah, who officially took charge on December 2024, after succeeding New Zealand’s Greg Barclay. At 36 years old, Jay Shah became the youngest person ever to lead the ICC. Before taking over the role, he served as the Secretary of the BCCI. He is also the son of Amit Shah, India’s Union Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Cooperation.

The 37 year old spinner made the remarks while discussing South Africa’s current standing in international cricket. Although the Proteas have enjoyed a strong period recently, Harmer suggested that success alone still does not change the overall hierarchy of the sport unless teams consistently win major ICC trophies.

Harmer also delivered strong opinions on the English domestic structure. The Essex spinner argued that county cricket currently allows “a place for mediocrity,” claiming too many average performers continue to survive in the system without enough pressure for improvement.

He further questioned England’s current batting selection philosophy, suggesting there is now too much focus on playing style and attacking methods instead of consistency and long term run scoring.

Despite his criticism, Harmer praised the current South African Test setup and said the side has grown stronger collectively under the present leadership group.

One of the most successful overseas players in county cricket history, Harmer has been a key figure for Essex since joining the club in 2017. He has taken more than 500 first class wickets for the county and played a major role in multiple title winning campaigns.

The right arm off spinner also enjoyed a remarkable return to South Africa’s Test side and was instrumental during the Proteas’ memorable 2025 Test series victory in India.

Interestingly, despite his success in red ball cricket around the world, Harmer has never played in the IPL. He has, however, featured regularly in other T20 competitions including South Africa’s SA20 and England’s T20 Blast.