England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive Richard Gould has expressed strong support for India’s potential bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, pledging to stand alongside India and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in its efforts.
Gould described cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as a landmark opportunity to expand the sport’s reach beyond traditional markets. He said India’s hosting bid would be a natural extension of its growing importance to global cricket.
The ECB chief pointed to the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad as a valuable rehearsal for India ahead of a possible Olympic hosting challenge. He also praised BCCI secretary Jay Shah and ICC officials for their role in strengthening cricket’s global footprint.
Highlighting India’s significance, Gould called the BCCI “the most important cricket board in the world” and welcomed the growing influence of Indian investors such as Sanjiv Goenka, the Ambani family, and the Maran family in international cricket.
He also expressed a desire for more cricket between India and England, including longer Test series, and acknowledged Shubman Gill’s call for a triangular series, noting that several are already scheduled in the coming months.
Gould’s comments underline the deepening cricketing ties between India and England, while reinforcing India’s ambition to bring the Olympic Games to its soil in 2036.
