Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 11 (ANI): Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly defended the association's age-verification process, saying it has a transparent system in place and will continue to scrutinise players every year amid the recent action against Rohit Yadav and several other cricketers over age discrepancies.
Rohit, who represented India Under-19 during the tour of Sri Lanka in July, was handed a two-year ban after the CAB found a discrepancy of 27 months in his age records. He was subsequently withdrawn from India's upcoming Under-19 series against Australia.
The CAB has also barred 64 other players over similar discrepancies, including former India Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer Ravi Kumar, whose age-group records have been declared invalid following an age discrepancy understood to be more than 40 months.
Speaking at a press conference at Eden Gardens, Ganguly said the association has strengthened its verification mechanism and that the process will be repeated annually.
"This is the first time that the BCCI has introduced the Aadhaar update system. On the 27th of last month, the BCCI held an age verification seminar," Ganguly said.
"Representatives of all state agencies go. Age is a problem in all sports. Football, cricket – all sports. The CAB has a transparent set of rules for verification of age. Rohit Yadav has been dropped from the national team. We didn't include Rohit and Ravi Kumar in the probable squad. Not only them, but many players who have reached the age limit have been dropped. It will be verified every year. The CAB has a 10-member verification cell. Those who are caught are not allowed to play," he added.
On whether the CAB could take action against networks involved in procuring fraudulent documents, Ganguly said the association's responsibility was restricted to verification and exclusion.
"CAB can't do anything. The CAB can only verify and exclude it. I don't know where they come from, whether they get fake certificates from hospitals or boroughs. The CAB will not be able to reach that far," he said.
"But if submitted, it will be captured in the Aadhaar update system. No one will be spared. The CAB has 10 people on salary for this job. They're checking everything," he added.
Ganguly also addressed the controversy surrounding the distribution of complimentary tickets for the World Cup, insisting that CAB had followed the guidelines laid down by the BCCI and ICC.
"We want to make it absolutely clear that ticket distribution for the World Cup is decided by the BCCI and communicated to the state associations. As per the stadium agreement, no special allotment or preferential access is permitted for life members, honorary members, or any other category,” he said.
"Tickets have to be purchased through the official prescribed mode on a first-come, first-served basis. BookMyShow is not a CAB agency; it is a central ticketing agency appointed by the BCCI to handle ticketing across associations under the instructions of the BCCI and ICC. The entire process is guided by the parent bodies, and the associations are required to follow their directions," he added.
Ganguly said the CAB's practice of distributing complimentary tickets for regular matches had existed for decades but did not apply to World Cup fixtures because of the specific BCCI and ICC regulations.
"Whatever happened was in accordance with the rules. Complimentary tickets in CAB have been happening for the last 30 years, and it has continued to do so. Even when the Test match against South Africa was held this year, CAB followed its old policy of giving tickets to its honorary associate and life members plus the exact amount of complimentary tickets required to be distributed to various agencies," he said.
"But in the case of the World Cup, that does not exist because there is a strict guideline by the BCCI and ICC saying that if you have to host matches, this is what the guidelines are. We distribute tickets in a transparent manner. Various controversies are being created in the name of CAB with the elections ahead. We know what and who is doing it," Ganguly added.
Asked whether the ticketing controversy could tarnish his image, Ganguly dismissed the suggestion.
"No one can tarnish my image. My image does not depend on the CAB," he said.
On the availability of Eden Gardens for Durga Puja programmes, Ganguly said the CAB would hand over the stadium to the concerned departments on September 25, with the Bengal-Delhi Ranji Trophy fixture scheduled from October 11 to be shifted to another venue.
The West Bengal government's Youth Services & Sports Department had earlier on Thursday written to the CAB seeking confirmation of Eden Gardens' availability for cultural and celebratory programmes planned between September 25 and October 15, including preparations and dismantling work.
The request came days after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced that the state's Durga Puja celebrations would officially begin with a mega event at Eden Gardens on Mahalaya.
With the proposed booking period extending into the start of Bengal's domestic season, the scheduled Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match between Bengal and Delhi will now be moved elsewhere.
Eden Gardens was among the major venues during the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, hosting five matches, including the semi-final between Australia and South Africa. The Kolkata venue also hosted seven matches during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, including a Super Eight fixture and a semi-final. (ANI)
Cricket Association of Bengal has transparent age-verification rules, will verify players every year: Sourav Ganguly
