The International Cricket Council confirmed that Chairman Shashank Manohar will step down when his term ends this year.

Manohar was first elected as an independent chairman in May 2016. He resigned for personal reasons in March 2017 but then deferred his resignation and was re-elected unopposed for a second two-year term two years later.

The ICC in a statement said that no final decision had been taken regarding the election process and its board will discuss it at a meeting on Thursday.

"The existing Chair confirmed he was not seeking any extension to his term but would support the board to ensure a smooth transition," the statement said.

It was thought that due to disruptions caused by COVID-19, Manohar would get a small extension amid fears that the ICC board meeting would not happen.

Several media reports have claimed that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves is favourite to fill the post. His tenure at the ECB is set to end on August 3.

However, a spanner in the works was thrown when Cricket South Africa's director Graeme Smith recently endorsed BCCI President Sourav Ganguly for the post.

Smith said that it was time for someone who was closer to the modern game with the leadership credentials to get into a key position and he felt Ganguly, a former India captain, was best positioned to do that at the moment.

BCCI treasurer Arun Singh Dhumal, who spoke to Reuters, said that no call had been taken on fielding anyone from India for the job.

"Ideally there should be a consensus candidate so that there is no election as world cricket is facing a big problem because of the pandemic. To resolve it, everyone has to come together."

Manohar's successor is expected to formally take over when the ICC's annual general meeting is held at the end of July.