India Under-19 legspinner Rohit Yadav has been handed a two-year ban after the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) found a discrepancy in his age-related records.
The issue was discovered during a pre-season documentation and verification drive conducted by the CAB. Yadav, who represented Bengal at the age-group level and was part of India’s Under-19 tour of Sri Lanka in July, was found to have an age discrepancy of 27 months, according to the CAB.
The ban has taken immediate effect, and all BCCI-affiliated state associations have been informed. As a result, Yadav has also been withdrawn from India Under-19’s upcoming series against Australia, which includes five one-day matches and two multi-day games later this month.
64 Others Also Barred
Rohit Yadav is not the only player affected by the CAB’s age-verification process. The association has also barred 64 other players over similar age discrepancies.
Among them is former India Under-19 World Cup winner Ravi Kumar, who played a key role in India’s victory over England in the 2022 Under-19 World Cup final.
Kumar, a left-arm fast bowler, made his senior debut for Bengal in 2022 but has not played since 2023. His age discrepancy is understood to be more than 40 months.
As a consequence, all of Kumar’s age-group records from his debut through the 2025-26 season will be considered invalid.
BCCI’s Continued Fight Against Age Fraud
Age fraud has been a longstanding concern in Indian age-group cricket, and the BCCI has previously introduced measures to tackle the issue.
In 2020, the board introduced an amnesty scheme allowing registered players to voluntarily disclose discrepancies in their dates of birth. Players who came forward and submitted their correct details could avoid suspension, while those found to have deliberately violated the rules faced disciplinary action.
Under the current age-verification process, Under-19 players are required to submit their birth certificates along with supporting school or college records to establish their eligibility.
The latest action by the CAB highlights the continued scrutiny of age documentation in Indian junior cricket, with players found guilty of discrepancies facing bans and the possible cancellation of their previous age-group records.
