No More Age Frauds As BCCI Make Changes To Age Verification Procedure

No more age-fudging, as the BCCI have amended the Age Verification Programme (AVP), starting 2025. According to the new changes, the BCCI will allow for a second bone test for all players who have a bone age beyond the threshold. 

As it stands, the bone age threshold for boys is 16 and girls, 15. The current practice is done in a way that one year is added to the tested bone age, called the ‘mathematical age’. It is that mathematical age which is then treated as the official age of the players. If that is beyond 16 for a boy, then he is deemed beyond the age limit.

But if the mathematical age is 15.6, then the player is still eligible to play under-16 cricket. However, in the following year, that same player will be considered beyond the age of 16. The new age verification procedure allows for a second check, which still allows the player to play if that number is below 16. 

Why so? Given that the bone test is not entirely accurate, the repeat test allows for a better and more accurate reading of the bone age. Another change that the BCCI have implemented is that the player will have to present his Aadhar card before they are allowed to undergo the test, in a bid to remove any malpractice.