The BCCI has launched an investigation after media reports flagged discrepancies in Under-16 bone test reports.
The controversy first surfaced through alleged age-determination flaws in the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association setup.
Similar irregularities were later reported in Rajasthan, raising wider concerns over junior cricket age checks.
Bone Test In Question: BCCI Initiates Probe Into Bizarre Age-Verification Anomalies In Under-16 Cricket | Report
Following several discrepancies in bone test reports, the BCCI has launched an investigation into the matter. Earlier, media reports highlighted how this year's test results contradict those from last year, showing that certain players appeared younger instead of aging naturally over time.
Summary
The BCCI have launched an inquiry following media reports which revealed serious inconsistencies in the bone test reports of the U16 cricketers. The issue came to light in a Dainik Jagran report which exposed serious flaws in the age determination process within the UPCA. Similar cases have since come to light in Rajasthan.
The findings have again brought the age-fraud checks in age-group cricket into question. In age-group cricket, bone tests are used to establish the correct age group and to prevent age-fraud with anyone found to be over the age limit being disqualified from state level junior cricket.
Shared Consultants Link
A Dainik Jagran report said the irregularities were flagged in the Under-16 squads of both Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The same consultant handled the bone-testing procedures across both states, according to sources, though neither the BCCI nor the UPCA has officially confirmed this connection.
Following the publication on October 21, the BCCI received multiple complaints from stakeholders. A complainant revealed that BCCI officials contacted them directly to confirm that an internal inquiry is actively underway.
Experts and whistleblowers have urged authorities to cross-verify the Aadhaar card history of players whose medical ratings appear suspicious, ensuring complete transparency in junior cricket.
Aging Backwards Anomaly
Bone tests are conducted annually for children under 16 to determine accurate age brackets and prevent age-fraud, ensuring players exceeding the limit are disqualified from state-level junior cricket.
However, the recent test reports revealed shocking mathematical inconsistencies. Rather than increasing by a full year over a 12-month period, some players' final age ratings actually decreased.
A player who recorded a final rating of 15.9 last year, which should have logically progressed to approximately 16.9 a year later, mysteriously logged a rating of 15.7 in 2026. That effectively made them two months younger than their previous assessment.
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