Age-old problem hits Gujarat player

Middle-order batsman Karan Viradiya’s dream of playing for India came down crashing on Thursday.

The Gujarat batsman was well on his way to donning the India U-19 cap but was duly shown the door after his school leaving certificate and passport showed different birth dates.

Viradiya was named in the 15-member team to face hosts Sri Lanka in two four-day matches starting on July 23. Confirming the development and terming it unfortunate, Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Rajesh Patel defended the BCCI’s decision. “We went through the documents thoroughly. However, the player had not submitted the passport and we forwarded his name to the BCCI purely on the basis of his school certificate,” Patel said.

According to the school leaving certificate, Viradiya was born on October 17, 1994; the passport said April 17, 1994.

Viradiya was selected after a successful U-19 Col CK Nayudu Trophy last season, in which he tallied over 400 runs.

Known for his patience and calmness, Viradiya idolises Rahul Dravid. “The BCCI has been very strict (with age-related fraud) after the Ankit Bawne incident,” Patel said. It may be recalled that Maharashtra’s Bawne was left out of the India U-19 team in 2011 after a similar incident. Unmukt Chand of Delhi was then named skipper.

“It’s very embarrassing. Now we will have to ask players to submit their passports too,” said an insider who blamed the GCA bosses for the negligence.