Seven Indian youngsters were denied the chance of participating in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) U-19 Asia Cup 2016 after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) committed a major goof-up by not double-checking the cut-off year for the eligibility of the players, with the ACC.
The Indian cricket board had, about a month back, handpicked 15 teenagers for participation in the training camp ahead of the Youth Asia Cup, scheduled to start on December 15 in Sri Lanka. At the eleventh hour now, they informed seven of tho 15 youngsters that they are not eligible to take part in the tournament as they are above the age limit.
The Indian cricket board came to a bottomline that players needed to be born in or before 1997 to be eligible for participation.
The actual ACC criteria: Players needed to be born on or before November 1 1998.
The dreams of the young players have almost been snatched away by the Indian cricket board. The BCCI officials didn't even care to communicate the news personally to the players. Worse, the seven players were instantly replaced in the India U-19 team, coached by India cricket veteran Rahul Dravid.
"It was a matter of great joy but now I am feeling equally sad. My visa was done, and passport submitted. I was to go Bengaluru tomorrow and join the camp," Sandeep Tomar, a wicketkeeper from Uttar Pradesh, said to the Indian Express. "My mother said, 'Don't worry, if you are lucky, you will get another chance in the future'. But I missed an India cap by just eight days."
"My date of birth is April 15, 1998... I am sad but I can't do anything," Digvijay Rangi, an opening batsman from Himachal Pradesh, said.
Here are the seven Indian youngsters who have been declared ineligible:
Digvijay Rangi (Himachal Pradesh)
Chandan Sahini (Hyderabad)
Daryl S Ferrario (Kerala)
Sandeep Tomar (UP)
Rishabh Bhagat (Punjab)
Simarjit Singh (Delhi)
Izan Sayed medium-pacer (Maharashtra)
