CHENNAI: Rasikh Salam Dar grabbed the eyeballs when he became second cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) this season. The pacer made his IPL debut for the eventual champions Mumbai Indians in their first match of the 12th edition.
Mentored by former India pacer Irfan Pathan, he was termed as the next big thing for the Indian cricket because of his ability to bowl fast despite being only 17. The impression of bowling fast at such a tender age has now come under scanner after the Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education has informed the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) that the cricketer has fudged his age. The board informed the JKCA that age provided by Rasikh to the association doesn’t match with the record it possesses (as registered for class X examination).
Ironically, the J&K player was recently named in the India U-19 squad for the one-day Tri-series starting on July 21. India and Bangladesh are the two participating teams in the tournament apart from hosts England. The India team is scheduled to depart from New Delhi on July 15 and if the allegation levelled against Rasikh is proved then he might be forced to miss the flight to the United Kingdom.
He might also face a ban for two seasons and criminal action if the Committee of Administrators (CoA) implements the decisions it had taken during a meeting on May 18 last year. The CoA during the meeting had made it clear that any player fudging age could be banned for two seasons and criminal action may also be initiated.
“It was learnt that Rasikh tampered with marksheet of one of his acquaintances and submitted it with the JKCA. The tampered marksheet shows him to be 17-year-old which probably is not the case. He actually is 19-year-old as per documents in possession with the State Board of Education,” a source in the know said.