Rohit Yadav Age Fraud Case: Know BCCI Rules, Penalties and Famous Cases

Age fraud has been an old issue in cricket, with several cases being reported over the years. Indian domestic cricket has also witnessed a number of such cases where players were accused of misrepresenting their age to gain an advantage in age group cricket.

In a recent development, the BCCI has taken strict action against Bengal leg spinner Rohit Yadav for allegedly misrepresenting his age. The board has handed him a 2 year ban while the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has also taken action against 62 other players over age related discrepancies.

Rohit Yadav Handed Two-Year BCCI Ban Over Age Fraud

The matter came to light when Rohit's documents were scrutinised during India's recent Under 19 tour of Sri Lanka. He reportedly had multiple birth certificates showing different years of birth. Irregularities were also found in his Aadhaar records raising questions over his actual age. 

Following the findings, the BCCI handed Rohit a two-year ban from domestic cricket and also matches conducted by state associations. Meanwhile, the CAB has also taken action against 62 other players after finding age-related discrepancies in their documents.

What are BCCI’s Rules for Age Verification?

The BCCI maintains strict rules for age and domicile verification in Indian domestic cricket. If a player is found guilty of age fraud or any other form of document manipulation, the board can take strict action against them. Below is a key breakdown of the BCCI’s age verification rules.

1. Technical Age Verification Programme

The BCCI uses the Bone Density Test (Tanner Whitehouse 3) to check the bone maturity of players. The test uses X-rays of the left wrist and hand to help determine a player's bone age.

• Boys seeking to participate in U-16 cricket must have a TW3 bone age score below 16.5.

• Girls seeking to participate in U-15 cricket must have a TW3 bone age score below 15.0.

2. Document Verification

The BCCI also follows a document verification process to check a player's age. Birth certificates issued by municipal authorities are checked that were registered within two years of birth.

Apart from this, school and college certificates can also be cross checked. If any major discrepancy is found between the documents, it can lead to an investigation by the BCCI.

3. Voluntary Disclosure Scheme

The BCCI also has a Voluntary Disclosure Scheme for players who have age related discrepancies in their records. Under this scheme, a player can voluntarily disclose the correct details about their age.

In such cases, the BCCI can exempt the player from the 2 year ban and allow them to continue playing in their actual age category.

What are the Penalties for Age Fraud?

The BCCI has laid down various regulations and penalties in cases of age fraud. These include bans and ineligibility from certain levels of cricket. Here are the detailed protocols taken by the board.

1. Two-Year Ban

If a player is found guilty of age fraud through the manipulation or forging of birth certificates, the BCCI mandates a 2 year ban for that player from cricket under the BCCI and state associations.

2. Ban from Junior-Level Cricket

The punishment does not end with a ban. After completing the ban, the player is also barred from participating in junior level cricket such as U-16, U-19 and U-23 tournaments. The player can only take part in senior-level opencategory cricket after completing the ban.

Source: BCCI

Some Famous Players Banned for Age Fraud

Rohit Yadav is not the first such case. There have been several other cricketers who were banned by the BCCI after age discrepancies were found at the domestic level. Some of them later went on to become famous IPL stars. Below are three such cricketers.

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