The BCCI strengthens age verification with the revised protocol; Second bone test included
In a notable development aimed at tightening the integrity of the age group cricket in India, the Cricket control advice in India (BCCI) has changed its long time Age verification program (AVP) By introducing a second chance for young cricket players to validate their age with bone tests.
BCCI renovates the age verification protocol to include the second bone test for equity
According to the Cricbuzz report, the decision, approved at the last meeting of the Apex Council, comes in response to increasing concerns concerning the accuracy of bone age assessments and the equity of the eligibility rules of age groups. Previously, BCCI AVP only authorized one bone test for boys aged 14 to 16 and girls aged 12 to 15. The process used to add a full year to the bone age tested by a player, a value then used to determine its “mathematical age” for participation in junior tournaments led by the BCCI.
The report has also added that by virtue of the new AVP rules, if a player remains under the age limit according to his birth certificate, he will now have authorized a second bone test during the following year. If this second test shows a bone age within the authorized limits, the player can continue to participate in the age group category. This change will not only benefit boys, but also to girls in competition in similar age groups.
This decision is a direct recognition that if the bone test is a scientifically anchored method, it is not without inconsistencies. External factors such as ethnicity, nutrition, genetics and regional disparities can influence skeletal maturity and make the results of bone tests slightly inaccurate. Thus, the introduction of a rehearsal test is welcome as a more compassionate and scientifically solid approach which also protects the deserving talents of disqualification according to the limits.
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Age fraud combation: BCCI tightens the verification with Aadhaar and the coordination of the State
Beyond the bone tests, the BCCI had to face a more disturbing problem in recent years – Fraud and the usurpation of age during medical assessments. In an attempt to go beyond the system, several parents were discovered for sending younger brothers and sisters or minors not linked to undergo bone tests in place of real actors, thus guaranteeing eligibility by deception. These cases of identity manipulation had become a concern for the central council and state associations.
According to the report, in response, the BCCI has now introduced a compulsory verification based on AADHAR, including the submission of AADHAAR documents with current photographs, to ensure that the child undergoes the test is indeed the player registered with the State Association. This procedural tightening aims to restore credibility and transparency in the selection process and prevent talented but honest young people from being expelled by dishonest practices.
The bone tests themselves are carried out each year before the start of the national season, generally during the months of July and August. Each affiliated state association has been attributed to a specific test window during which the medical staff appointed by the BCCI visited the hospitals designated to carry out X -ray tests. The AVP played a decisive role in maintaining equity in junior cricket competitions, but the decision to evolve it more thanks to a second test reflects the conscience of the Board of directors that science must work hand Equity, in particular when the careers and dreams of young athletes are at stake. By balancing rigor with empathy, the BCCI opens the way to a cleaner and more reliable ecosystem in the basic Indian cricket.
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