BCCI gives junior selection panel new role to fight drugs, match-fixing

The BCCI has added a new responsibility for its incoming Junior Cricket Committee: educating young cricketers about the dangers of drugs, betting and match-fixing. The new five-member panel, which will replace the existing committee, is expected to be appointed at the board's Annual General Meeting next month. The BCCI has invited applications with a September 5 deadline, and former cricketers who have played at least 25 first-class matches and retired five years ago are eligible.

The board wants the committee to instil ethical values in players alongside its core job of selecting teams up to Under-22 level for domestic and international fixtures and coaching camps. Young players could interact with current and former international cricketers to understand the risks. An anonymous BCCI official told PTI that young players can be vulnerable to negative influences as money and fame grow even at the Under-19 level. The existing committee's final task is to select the Rest of India Under-23 squad for the Junior Irani Cup.