In a landmark move aimed at curbing age‑fraud and ensuring fairness in junior cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced significant changes to its Age Verification Programme (AVP). Adopted at the Apex Council meeting in June 2025, the updated policy now allows players whose bone‑age results exceed the acceptable threshold to undergo a second bone‑age X‑ray test before determining eligibility for under‑age tournaments.
When you play the best fantasy cricket league in India, also include novice players to maintain the balance of your team.
1. The Problem: One‑Size Doesn’t Fit All
Until now, BCCI’s AVP followed a straightforward but inflexible approach: during age verification (mostly for under‑14 through under‑16 categories for boys, and under‑12 to under‑15 for girls), a single bone‑age test via X‑ray was conducted.
The result of this scan is typically examined through wrist and hand bones. It was then increased by one year, officially termed the “mathematical age“. This supplemented age was then compared against the tournament cutoff.
But medical experts have long cautioned that such scans have a margin of error, susceptible to variations influenced by nutrition, health, genetics, and developmental factors. As a result, many well‑intended young athletes risked incorrectly being classified as over‑age due to negligible discrepancies, sometimes missing crucial development years.
2. What’s New: A Second Chance at Validation
According to the modified AVP rule, when a player’s mathematical bone‑age surpasses the age limit (16.0 years for boys and 15.0 years for girls), they get automatically disqualified. However, a second bone-test along with their official birth certificate or Aadhaar card gives them an opportunity to proceed further in that particular season.
If the second test is aligned with their eligibility, the players are retained. It ensures that no player is unfairly penalized with the basis of a single test result.
3. Eligibility Thresholds and Tournament Impact
To bring clarity: for male players in the under‑16 bracket
- The cutoff is a bone age of 16.0 years.
- After adding one year, a child with a scan of 15.6 years becomes mathematically 16.6 and would normally be excluded.
- If the documents still show them under 16, they qualify for a second scan; if the retest is under 16, they remain eligible.
- The same protocol is applied to girls in the corresponding age categories. For them, the threshold age is 15.0 years.
Check all these details before making your fantasy team once you download fantasy cricket games online in India.
4. Tackling Fake IDs and Impersonation
Age manipulation in junior cricket has often involved identity fraud, not just overstated ages. The BCCI has flagged instances where parents would send younger siblings to take bone scans on behalf of older, over‑age players.
To prevent such manoeuvres, the board now mandates Aadhaar verification featuring recent facial photographs before a player can register for and undergo any bone‑age test. This measure makes impersonation far more difficult and strengthens the integrity of each athlete’s identity in the AVP.
5. Why This Change Matters
Age‑fraud has plagued junior cricket globally, distorting talent pipelines and undermining performance metrics. India, with its massive grassroots cricket system, has struggled to fairly evaluate talent when age‑fraud occurs. While the one‑year added buffer may have deterred some manipulators, it also produced unintended consequences, expelling deserving young athletes who fell just fractions over the limit.
Now, with a second bone‑age test incorporated, the framework is far more humane and scientifically reasonable.
6. Implementation and Oversight
The revised AVP includes practical changes:
- Testing schedule: Bone‑age tests are administered yearly in summer (typically July–August) via designated state‑level hospitals arranged through BCCI.
- Administration oversight: State associations coordinate test logistics, while BCCI representatives ensure uniformity and adherence to protocol.
- Documentation checks: Aadhaar verification is mandatory at registration and test administration, ensuring alignment between scanned results and official age records.
7. Reactions from Players and Administrators
Initial responses from within cricketing circles suggest support for the updated system. Coaches acknowledge the fairness this provides to athletes caught in borderline cases.
Final Word
By implementing Aadhaar-based verification and a second bone-age test, the BCCI has taken a crucial step in maintaining fairness and transparency in junior cricket. This new approach infuses scientific flexibility with administrative accountability. With this marvelous step, the cricket board is ensuring that all genuine young talent is protected and should get a chance to proceed further in their career.
The cricketing infrastructure in India has been thriving gradually. Such improvements instill confidence in the game’s fundamental system. Platforms like MyChamp11 celebrate budding talent and offer cricket enthusiasts to engage with the game more deeply. Now, when you look for and play best fantasy sports app in India, MyChamp11 certainly comes to your mind first.
As a safe fantasy app in India, this platform not only protects user information but also embraces them with all crucial cricket information, including the game-changing stories of the next generation.
Now, you can confidently draft the best team for upcoming fantasy matches and win plenty of prizes.
