List Of Indian Cricketers Who Have Been Banned For Doping

Indian Cricketers Who Have Been Banned For Doping. [Source - AP]

Doping remains one of the most serious threats to fairness in professional sport, and cricket is no exception. Governing bodies constantly monitor players to ensure integrity is maintained and that no athlete gains an unfair advantage through prohibited substances.

In India, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) works closely with anti-doping agencies to keep strict rules in place. Even if a player makes a mistake unknowingly, they can still face a ban depending on how serious the case is, showing a zero-tolerance approach.

Recently, Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel were added to the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Registered Testing Pool, highlighting how closely players are monitored. This system ensures regular testing and accountability across all formats of the game.

On that note, let’s take a look at the list of Indian cricketers who have been banned for doping till date.

Indian cricketers who have been banned for doping

4. Anshula Rao

Anshula Rao became the first Indian woman cricketer to fail a doping test, marking a significant moment in Indian cricket. The Madhya Pradesh all-rounder tested positive for 19-Norandrosterone, which is classified as a performance-enhancing substance.

She received a four-year ban after she failed to explain to the authorities how the substance entered her system back in July 2020 and became the first cricketer to be sanctioned since BCCI came under the ambit of the NADA in 2019.

3. Pradeep Sangwan

Pradeep Sangwan became the first Indian professional cricketer to be banned by BCCI after testing positive for stanozolol, a prohibited anabolic steroid, during IPL 2013 while he was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad.

The substance reportedly entered his body through an injection he took for a shoulder problem from a local doctor, not a BCCI-appointed one. He was handed an 18-month ban before eventually making a comeback to domestic cricket and the IPL after serving his suspension.

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2. Prithvi Shaw

Prithvi Shaw faced a doping suspension in February 2019 after testing positive for a banned substance. The young opener was handed an eight-month ban, which was applied retrospectively, allowing him to return to cricket later that same year.

The issue happened because of a cough syrup he took during a common cough and cold he suffered, which contained terbutaline, a substance banned in sports. It was not intentional, but the case showed how careful players need to be even while taking common medicines.

1. Yusuf Pathan

Yusuf Pathan, a key member of India’s 2011 World Cup and 2007 T20 World Cup winning squads, was also involved in a doping case in 2018. The Baroda veteran was tested positive for terbutaline, the same substance found in certain cough syrups.

Pathan was given a five-month ban, which was backdated and had already been served by the time it was officially announced. The case reinforced how even experienced players can fall foul of anti-doping regulations if proper care is not taken.

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