Hyderabad U-19 Captain And Five Others Banned For Age Fraud Following Police Investigation

In a major move against age fraud, the BCCI has banned six Hyderabad cricketers, including the U-19 team captain. This decision came after an investigation revealed they used fake birth certificates.

Complaints from parents prompted the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) to involve the police. The inquiry uncovered that these players had altered their ages to compete in the Men's U-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy.

The probe showed that four of the banned players, including captain Chirag Yadav, were key team members. An anonymous HCA source confirmed that police found discrepancies, leading to a two-year suspension by both BCCI and HCA.

The HCA website listed the banned players: Chirag Yadav, Anudeep Javaji, Divesh Bajaj, Gone Prem, Aditya Javaji, and Sai Chandra. A press release mentioned squad changes initially announced in September.

"The Chairman and members of the Junior Selection Committee met to select replacements for certain players who have been withheld due to ongoing enquiry of age verification," stated the release.

With these players removed, Anvit Reddy assumed captaincy during the tournament. He led the team through group stages until they exited at the quarterfinals against Chhattisgarh.

A second HCA source noted irregularities arose when officials requested Aadhaar details from suspected players. This was to verify player domicile as per a New Indian Express report.

These players' reluctance to provide information raised doubts. Further investigation revealed multiple birth certificates for some players, showing efforts to falsify eligibility.

"We informed the police, who investigated the issue and found six players had submitted forged birth certificates," explained a source to New Indian Express.

Despite bans, HCA remains alert for more complaints that could trigger further investigations. "Most of these players were the core of the team," added another source, indicating potential impacts on Hyderabad's U-19 squad and possible future discoveries.