CAB bans Rohit Yadav two years for age fraud, 65 players sanctioned
Synopsis
What began as a routine document audit by the Cricket Association of Bengal has exposed one of domestic cricket's largest age-fraud scandals — 65 players barred, a U19 World Cup hero's records invalidated, and a leg-spinner pulled from an India squad days before a series. The CAB and BCCI are now signalling zero tolerance, but the sheer scale of the violations raises hard questions about how systemic the problem has become.
Key Takeaways
Rohit Yadav , a leg-spinner, has been handed a two-year ban by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) for age documentation fraud.
Yadav's records contained three birth certificates listing years 2006 , 2007 , and 2009 , creating a 27-month official age discrepancy.
He was removed from the India Under-19 squad for the upcoming series against Australia in Rajkot and Ahmedabad .
In total, 65 players have been barred from registration or transfers across the 2026–27 and 2027–28 domestic seasons.
Former India U19 World Cup winner Ravi Kumar is among those sanctioned, with a 45-month age discrepancy flagged in his records.
The BCCI has enforced a zero-tolerance policy on age fraud, now mandating digital birth certificates and full Aadhaar update-history checks for all underage players.
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) on Friday, 4 September reaffirmed its commitment to stringent age verification after imposing a two-year ban on leg-spinner Rohit Yadav over documentation irregularities — a case that has since widened into one of the largest age-fraud crackdowns in Indian domestic cricket, with 65 players barred from registration or transfers across the 2026–27 and 2027–28 domestic seasons.
How the Yadav Case Unfolded
Yadav was removed from the India Under-19 squad ahead of their red-ball and white-ball series against Australia, scheduled in Rajkot and Ahmedabad later this month, after internal documentation audits flagged irregularities in his age records. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was promptly informed, and a replacement player was selected — though the CAB did not name the incoming player in its official statement.
Investigations revealed that Yadav's records contained three separate birth certificates listing different years of birth — 2006, 2007, and 2009 — across various updates to his Aadhaar card between 2014 and 2021. According to reports, this created an official age discrepancy of 27 months in his case. Yadav had previously represented India at the Under-19 level, including picking up six wickets in the Youth Test during the tour of Sri Lanka in July.
CAB's Statement and BCCI's Zero-Tolerance Stance
The CAB, in its official statement, said: 'The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), during its routine verification process, identified certain discrepancies/inconsistencies in the documents of the player Rohit Yadav. The matter was promptly reported to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) within due time. Following due examination, the BCCI took appropriate action and removed the player from the India Under-19 squad for the Australia series.'
A CAB official elaborated that the BCCI now mandates digital birth certificates and a review of full update histories for all underage players — a policy that triggered the wider sweep. 'So once we got into the process, many players have been found to have discrepancies,' the official said. The BCCI is understood to be enforcing a zero-tolerance policy on age fraud across all affiliated state associations.
High-Profile Names Among the 65 Sanctioned
The scale of the CAB crackdown is significant. Among the 65 players barred is Ravi Kumar, a former India Under-19 World Cup winner whose left-arm spell of 4 for 34 in the 2022 Men's U19 World Cup final against England in the Caribbean helped India clinch their fifth title. Official CAB records, however, list Ravi with a 45-month age discrepancy, rendering all his age-group participation records from the 2021/22 season through the 2025/26 campaign — across both junior and senior levels — invalid.
Left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Vishal Bhatti, who has made three first-class and two List A appearances for Bengal, has also been flagged on the same charges. This comes amid a broader national reckoning with age fraud in Indian junior cricket, a problem that administrators have acknowledged persists despite repeated warnings.
What Happens Next
The BCCI is expected to communicate its decisions on each flagged player to the CAB, which has indicated it will act in accordance with the national board's directives. The CAB has also made clear it will continue to pursue independent verification measures within its own registration framework. With the Under-19 series against Australia approaching, the episode raises fresh questions about the integrity of selection pipelines feeding into India's junior national programmes.
Point of View
But it also exposes how inadequate earlier verification was. The deeper question mainstream coverage is missing is accountability up the chain: coaches, selectors, and district associations who processed these documents for years without flagging anomalies. A zero-tolerance policy means little if the gatekeepers who enabled the fraud face no consequences.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Rohit Yadav banned by the Cricket Association of Bengal?
Rohit Yadav was handed a two-year ban by the CAB after routine document checks revealed his records contained three separate birth certificates listing different years of birth — 2006, 2007, and 2009 — across Aadhaar updates between 2014 and 2021, creating a 27-month official age discrepancy. The BCCI subsequently removed him from the India Under-19 squad for the Australia series.
How many players has the CAB sanctioned for age fraud?
The CAB has barred 65 players from registration or transfers across the 2026–27 and 2027–28 domestic seasons due to age discrepancies and documentation irregularities. The sanctions affect players across junior and senior levels.
Who is Ravi Kumar and why is he implicated?
Ravi Kumar is a left-arm pacer and former India Under-19 World Cup winner, best known for his spell of 4 for 34 in the 2022 U19 World Cup final against England in the Caribbean. Official CAB records have flagged a 45-month age discrepancy against his name, invalidating all his age-group participation records from the 2021/22 season through the 2025/26 campaign.
What new verification rules has the BCCI introduced for age-group cricket?
The BCCI now mandates digital birth certificates and a full review of Aadhaar card update histories for all underage players. This policy change was the trigger for the broader CAB audit that uncovered the wave of discrepancies.
Will India Under-19's series against Australia be affected?
The series against Australia, scheduled in Rajkot and Ahmedabad, will proceed with a replacement player selected in place of Rohit Yadav. The CAB confirmed a replacement has been chosen but did not publicly name the incoming player.
