BCCI secretary and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in frame | PC- AFP
To stop age fraud in Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken a great measure.
Age fraud is common in sports, and the Indian board has accused various Indian cricketers. Among popular names are Rasikh Salam, Prince Yadav, Manjot Kalra and Nitish Rana, who have faced bans by the BCCI.
BCCI hires independent agency for verification of age-group cricketers' docs
In a moving development, the BCCI has reportedly hired an independent agency to authenticate the documents of age-group cricketers across the Under-16, Under-19 and Under-23 categories.
According to the Cricblogger, this move by the Indian board will make the system more transparent and won’t allow any manipulation of age. The agency will work with relevant authorities, including schools and other issuing bodies, to verify by matching the date of birth of cricketers with their Aadhaar cards, birth certificates, and school records.
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“The agency will also conduct independent online verification by contacting the relevant authorities, including schools and other issuing bodies, to establish the authenticity of the documents. Any discrepancy or evidence of manipulation could result in the player being declared ineligible and losing the right to represent his or her state in BCCI age-group competitions,” the report stated.
BCCI to introduce stricter measure to minimalise age-fraud
If reports are to be believed then, the BCCI-hired independent agency will issue a showcause notice against the players forging their documents.
"The cricketers concerned will also be issued show-cause notices before any disciplinary action is taken against them for alleged document forgery or discrepancies found during the verification process, ensuring they are given an opportunity to present their case," it added.
Additionally, the board will ask its cricketers to must complete the biometric verification. Moreover, those players who have changed their states for the upcoming season, i.e. 2026/27, will be given a deadline of September 1 to inform about the same.
"Besides undergoing the mandatory biometric tests history, players who wish to change their state association by updating the address on their Aadhaar card must do so before the September 1 deadline to become eligible to represent the new state after serving the mandatory one-year waiting period."
Why is BCCI cracking down on age-fraud?
Although age fraud is a common practice in cricket, especially in the subcontinent. However, the practices are not good, as they give them an unfair advantage over the rest of the competitors.
Notably, in 2016, the then U19 coach Rahul Dravid brought in a one-time World Cup rule, which ensured that a player would only be allowed to play a solitary Under-19 World Cup. Since then, the BCCI has kept that cap on.
With the board bringing in stricter measures, it will help in strengthening the integrity of age-group cricket and ensure a level playing field for all aspiring cricketers.
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