In a major transfer, the BCCI has determined to conduct an additional bone test on the junior degree to make sure that no cricketer misses out on enjoying an additional season due to the “+1 factor” that’s presently added to the calculation, which renders gamers ineligible by thinnest of margins.
As per the present norms, a participant undergoes a bone test for age determination through the TW3 methodology (test used for assessing bone age) and a +1 issue is added to decide his or her eligibility for the subsequent season in the identical age group.
However, with the rule change, a cricketer in the Under-16 boys’ class, will bear a second bone test the next season to decide his eligibility to seem in the identical age bracket in case the +1 issue guidelines him out in the earlier 12 months.
“It is being done to have an exact age and make sure that no player loses due to arithmetical calculation rather than scientific calculation,” a BCCI supply informed PTI.
The bone age cut-off for U-16 boys is 16.5 years and 15 years for U-15 ladies competitors.
“This means that the bone age of a player has to be 16.4 or below in the following season in male cricketers and 14.9 or below in case of females for participation,” the supply stated.
To clarify the rule change additional, if a male U-16 participant undergoes a bone test in the 2025-26 season and the outcome reveals a bone age of 15.4 years, he wouldn’t want to bear one other bone test the next season. Instead, a +1 issue is mechanically added to their bone age.
In this occasion, the participant’s bone age for the 2026-27 season can be arithmetically calculated to be 16.4 years, no matter their precise bone development, permitting them to take part in the U-16 match with a bone age of 16.4.
Similarly, if a participant’s bone age is decided to be 15.5 years or larger, the bone age mechanically will increase to 16.5 years or larger, making him ineligible for the U-16 match, since 16.4 is the ultimate cutoff.
“It’s possible that this arithmetical calculation does not accurately reflect a player’s actual age, which could cause them to lose out on a year of eligibility,” the supply added.
In the case of U-15 ladies, if a participant assessments 13.9 years this season, she shall be eligible for the identical class the subsequent season with a bone age of 14.9.
However, if she assessments at 14 or above this season, she will play this season however not the subsequent one with reduce off being 14.9.
Published – June 16, 2025 05:42 pm IST
