The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has imposed a two-year ban on legspinner Rohit Yadav for age fraud, while former U-19 World Cup winner Ravi Kumar is among 64 others sanctioned.

  • Rohit Yadav received a two-year ban due to age discrepancies.
  • 64 other players, including Ravi Kumar, have been barred by CAB.
  • Rohit has been removed from the upcoming India U-19 tour of Australia.
  • Ravi Kumar's age discrepancy exceeded 40 months.

In a significant blow to junior cricket, legspinner Rohit Yadav, who was part of India's recent Under-19 tour of Sri Lanka, has been handed a two-year ban for age fraud. The discrepancy was uncovered during a rigorous pre-season documentation drive conducted by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Consequently, Rohit has been withdrawn from the India Under-19 squad scheduled to face Australia later this month.

According to CAB reports, Rohit Yadav, who has represented Bengal in age-group cricket, had an age discrepancy of approximately 27 months. Following the discovery, all BCCI-affiliated state units were notified of the ban, which takes effect immediately. This move underscores the increasing scrutiny on player eligibility in domestic circuits.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that age fraud remains a persistent shadow over age-group cricket, threatening the meritocratic nature of the sport. When players compete outside their rightful age bracket, it creates an unfair advantage and deprives genuine age-appropriate talents of their rightful opportunities, potentially skewing the development pipeline for future international stars.

Age fraud is a systemic challenge that requires continuous vigilance and stringent documentation protocols to maintain the integrity of the game.

The crackdown extends far beyond a single player. The CAB has barred a total of 64 players for similar discrepancies. Most notably, former India Under-19 World Cup winner Ravi Kumar has been caught in the net. Kumar, a standout performer in the 2022 World Cup final against England, was found to have an age discrepancy of over 40 months. His entire age-group record from his debut through the 2025-26 season has been declared invalid.

Historical Background

The BCCI has long struggled with rising cases of age manipulation. In 2020, an amnesty scheme was proposed to allow players to voluntarily correct their birth records to avoid long-term suspensions. However, the current stringent verification process requires players to provide not just birth certificates, but exhaustive educational records from schools and colleges to ensure authenticity at the Under-19 level.

Did You Know?: To combat fraud, many cricket boards now use a combination of school records, birth certificates, and sometimes even bone density tests to verify age.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: What is the reason for Rohit Yadav's ban?
Answer: Rohit Yadav was banned for two years due to a 27-month discrepancy in his reported age.

Question 2: Who is Ravi Kumar?
Answer: Ravi Kumar is a former India Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer who has been banned due to a significant age discrepancy.