Run out by the age factor

If it were any less serious you could call it a 8216;minor8217; problem. But for Cheteswar Pujara it8217;s the opportunity of a lifetime ...

If it were any less serious you could call it a 8216;minor8217; problem. But for Cheteswar Pujara it8217;s the opportunity of a lifetime missed out because of official bungling.

Pujara 17 was one of three cricketers 8212; along with Vikram Rajvir Singh and Rudra Pratap Singh 8212; selected, via the annual Border-Gavaskar scholarship, for the six-week stay at Griffith University8217;s Centre of Excellence in Adelaide.

But while the two Singhs are in their first week at Adelaide, Pujara is cooling his heels at home in Rajkot.

The reason: Griffith doesn8217;t allow campus residents below 18, a fact which either didn8217;t occur to, or was kept from, officials at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, which picks the boys every year.

After being handed his tickets and money by the NCA, Pujara eventually found out he wasn8217;t going four days ago.

Sources in Cricket Australia say that the National Cricket Academy was informed about this age restriction well in advance, though events in Bangalore don8217;t seem to suggest that.

NCA director Brijesh Patel insists that they got the letter from Adelaide just four days ago.

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8216;8216;When we selected Cheteswar we were not aware of this rule. We came to know about it at the last minute,8217;8217; says Patel.

Pujara could still have gone with a chaperone, but Patel says the NCA 8212; part of the multi-crore BCCI 8212; doesn8217;t have the funds.

8216;8216;It8217;s a misunderstanding8217;8217;, says CoE head coach Tim Nielsen. 8216;8216;It8217;s because the CoE moved recently from Brisbane to Adelaide, where the age rules are different. We thought that NCA knew about these rules.8217;8217;

The rule, says Michael Jeh, sports initiative officer at Griffith, 8216;8216;is because of the co-ed atmosphere and bars around here.8217;8217;

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There is also the larger picture, which is that henceforth those sent on the scholarship must be above 18. Putting it in perspective, Parthiv Patel was 16 when he won it in 2001.

Meanwhile, Pujara must be wondering how he can pull off another great season to have a chance of getting the scholarship next year.

He scored an aggregate of 1091 runs at an average of 100-plus, with 206 not out and 136 in the four under-22 games he played and 211 in the only u-19 8216;Test8217; he played against England.

Sandeep Dwivedi

Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports. Professional Profile Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website. Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week. Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports. Areas of Expertise While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas: Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant. Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes. Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara. Notable Recent Work & Themes Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success. Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War. The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game. Tenure and Experience Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations. You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More