BCCI's Additional Bone Test Initiative

Context

In an important decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), an additional bone test will now be conducted for age verification of players at the junior level (especially under-16 and under-15 categories).

Background

• In the current system, BCCI till now checks the bone age of players by TW3 (Tanner-Whitehouse 3) method.
• After this test, 1 year is automatically added to the age of the players which is called '1 factor'.
• Its purpose is to decide their eligibility in the next season.
• Example: If a player has a bone age of 15.4 years, he is considered to be 16.4 years for the next season.
• Cut-off limit
  • For Boys : 16.5 years (U-16)
  • For Girls : 15 years (U-15)

Changes under the new initiative

• Now if a player is disqualified in the previous year due to ‘1 factor’, he will get a chance to regain eligibility on the basis of actual bone test next year.
• The purpose of this test is to ensure that a player does not lose an opportunity just because of a calculation error.
• This will ensure eligibility based on scientific method and not just on arithmetic addition.

Example

• If the bone-based age of a U-16 male player is found to be 15.4 years in 2025-26, then his age will be considered 16.4 by adding 1 year in the next year (2026-27).
• He will remain eligible and there will be no need to test again.
• If someone's bone-based age is 15.5 or more, then it will be considered 16.5 or more mathematically, due to which he will be ineligible.
• In the new system, such a player can get another bone test done in the second year.
•  If his actual bone-based age comes out to be 16.4 or less in the test, then he will be declared eligible again.

Provisions for girls

• In U-15 girls category: If the bone-based age of a player is 13.9 years, then she will remain eligible in the next season as well.
• If the bone-based age is 14 or more, then he/she will be eligible for this session but not for the next session.

Significance of this decision

• Important step towards giving priority to scientific approach.
• Players will get relief from unfair and rigid calculative rules.
• Promotion of justice and transparency in sports.
• Players' morale will increase and talent will not be lost.

Important aspects

• Scientific approach in policy and governance: The decision shows how policies can be made more just by adopting scientific methods.
• Youth Development and Sports Policy: This step underlines the administrative thinking dedicated to sports and the priority of child welfare in India.
• Data-based decision-making process: It is an example of balance between data and human intervention.
• Moral administration: This is an example of how policies can also be focused on individual justice, not limited to just following the rules.

Conclusion

This decision of BCCI is a reflection of a progressive and humane approach to sports administration. This step will not only protect the interests of the players but will also prove to be helpful in taking Indian cricket forward in a fair, scientific and transparent direction.