Former India captain and National Cricket Academy director Rahul Dravid yet again came down hard at the issue of age fraud in the youth ranks in India.
The 46-year-old, who has been vocal about the issue in the past, urged the authorities to keep a close watch on the issue.
In recent times, Kashmir’s Rasikh Salam and Dravid’s former ward Manjot Kalra were found guilty of committing age fraud. Kalra, who was a part of India’s U-19 World Cup-winning campaign in 2018, cleared his name but Salam was handed a two-year ban.
“Age fraud leads to an erosion of culture,” Dravid was quoted as saying on the sidelines of the Times Cricket Shield.
He added, “It leads to a scenario where a lot of talented boys don’t get to play when they should actually be playing.
“It is up to the maidan secretaries, the owners of the office teams, the club teams to ensure that this does not happen.”
Dravid, at the event, also urged young cricketers to not chase fame and get bogged down by not getting selected.
The man who oversaw India’s triumph at the Under-19 World Cup in 2018 said: “Not everyone of you will go on to play Ranji Trophy or get an IPL contract. But don’t let selection come in the way of your enjoyment. If you are always worried about your next selection, you will never enjoy the game.”