BCCI throws light on participation limit of U19 players ahead of the 2021-22 season

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced a massive domestic season for senior and junior Men’s and Women’s cricketers for the 2021-22 season. Apart from preparing for the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting on September 19 in the UAE, the board is also gearing up for the upcoming season back home which is set to start soon.

The BCCI, in the process, has also made it clear that it will not take into account the 2020-21 season while deciding the participation limit of the U19 players for the 2021-22 season. Not much domestic cricket was played apart from Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2020-21 season. And the BCCI is ready to make an exemption for the U19 players over the same.

According to the new rules issued on August 3, 2020, there has been a cap on the player participation at the U19 level for an individual.

BCCI writes a letter to the state associations

The BCCI medical consultant has written a letter addressing to the state associations clarifying about the exemption. No U19 tournaments were played during the previous season and so the participation of none of the players will be counted for that period. This gives the players an extra season to showcase their skills at the U19 level provided they are eligible.

“As the BCCI Under-19 tournaments were not conducted during the 2020-21 season due to the pandemic, it will not be counted towards the participation limit while deciding on eligibility of U-19 players for 2021-22 season. Players who are still eligible to participate in U-19 tournaments this season as per their chronological age will be allowed to participate in the BCCI Under-19 season 2021-22,” the letter read.

BCCI also threw light on the matter by giving an example which read, “For more clarity, please see below examples: Example 1. Player X is allowed maximum 2 seasons of under-19 participation as per the new rules issued on 3rd August 2020. He first played a BCCI Under-19 match during season 2019-20. As per the new rules, season 2020-21 was supposed to be his final year of participation.

“However, since BCCI U-19 matches were not conducted during 2020-21 season, player X will be allowed to participate in the BCCI Under-19 tournaments 2021-22 season, provided he is eligible as per his date of birth.”

“Example 2. Player X is allowed maximum 4 seasons of under-19 participation as per the new rules issued on 3rd August 2020. He first played a BCCI Under-19 match during season 2017-18. As per the new rules, season 2020-21 was supposed to be his final year of participation.

“However, since BCCI U-19 matches were not conducted during 2020-21 season, player X will be allowed to participate in the Under-19 tournaments 2021-22 season, provided he is eligible as per his date of birth.”