BCCI enhances age verification with revised protocols. Includes a second bone examination
In a notable development aimed at strengthening the integrity of Indian age cricket, Indian Cricket Committee (BCCI) Long-standing revisions have been made Age Verification Program (AVP) By introducing a second chance for young cricketers to verify their age through bone examinations.
BCCI has improved age verification protocols to include a second bone test for fairness
According to a Cricbuzz report, the decision approved at the latest Apex Council meeting responds to growing concerns about the accuracy of bone age ratings and fairness of age group eligibility rules. Previously, BCCI AVPs only allowed single bone examinations for boys ages 14-16 and girls ages 12-15. This process is used to involve adding one year to the player’s tested bone age. This is used to determine “math age” for participation in the BCCI Conduction Junior Tournament.
The report further added that under the new AVP rules, if a player remains under age restrictions according to his or her birth certificate, a second bone examination will be permitted the following year. If this second test shows bone age within acceptable limits, the player can continue to participate in the age group category. This change will be useful not only for boys but also for girls competing in similar age groups.
This move is to directly acknowledge that bone testing is a scientifically grounded method, but there are no contradictions. External factors such as ethnicity, nutrition, genetics, and regional disparities can affect skeletal maturation and can make bone test results slightly inaccurate. Therefore, the introduction of repeated testing is welcomed as a more compassionate and scientifically sound approach to protecting deserving talent from disqualification based on boundary outcomes.
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Age fraud fight: BCCI strengthens validation with Aadhaar and state coordination
Beyond bone testing, BCCI has had to address more troubling issues in recent years: fraud and spoofing during medical evaluations. To outweigh the system, it was discovered that several parents sent young siblings or unrelated minors to undergo bone examinations on behalf of real players, thereby ensuring eligibility through deceit. These examples of identity manipulation have been a concern for both central committees and state associations.
According to this report, BCCI has now introduced mandatory Aadhaar-based verification that includes submitting Aadhaar documents with current photographs to ensure that the child undergoing the test is in fact a registered player with the state association. This procedural tightening aims to restore reliability and transparency in the selection process and to prevent talented but honest young people from being kicked out by fraudulent practices.
The bone examination itself is usually performed annually in July and August before the start of the national season. Each relevant state association will be assigned a specific test window in which medical staff appointed by the BCCI visits designated hospitals to perform x-rays. The AVP helped maintain the fairness of junior cricket competitions, but the decision to evolve further through the second test reflects the board’s perception that science must work with equity, especially when the careers and dreams of young athletes are at stake. By balancing rigidity and empathy, BCCI paves the way for a cleaner and more reliable ecosystem in grassroots Indian cricket.
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