BCCI Ups Age Game to End Age Math Errors Costing Players

To ensure that young players do not miss out on playing an extra season due to arithmetical age calculations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has introduced an additional bone test at the junior level.

Currently, cricketers undergo the Tanner-Whitehouse 3 (TW3) test for age determination, and the player’s eligibility for the next season in the same group is determined by adding one factor to the results of this bone test.

However, this may lead to situations where a player becomes ineligible due to the “+1” factor despite having a bone age within the permissible limit. To address this issue, it is decided that cricketers in the Under-16 boys’ category will undergo a second bone test the following season to determine eligibility to appear in the same age bracket in case the “+1” factor rules them out in the previous year.

The current bone age cut-off is 16.5 years for U-16 boys and 15 years for U-15 girls. For instance, if a player’s bone age is assessed at 15.5 years, it increases to 16.5 years with the +1 factor, thereby making him ineligible. In such cases, a second test in the following season can help re-establish eligibility and allow continued participation.