Young left-handed opener Manjot Kalra, who scored a hundred in the final of the last edition of U-19 World Cup, has been suspended by outgoing DDCA Ombudsman for one year from playing Ranji Trophy, for an alleged age-fraud during his U-16 and U-19 days.
However, for the same offence, Delhi senior team vice-captain Nitish Rana has been let off for the time being with more documents being sought to prove that he fudged his age at the junior level.
Another U-19 star Shivam Mavi's case has been referred to the BCCI since he now represents Uttar Pradesh in senior cricket.
The outgoing Ombudsman Justice (Retired) Badr Durrez Ahmed passed an order (a copy of which is with PTI) on his final day, preventing Kalra from playing age-group cricket for two years but more importantly denying him a chance to play Ranji Trophy for this season.
Kalra, whose age as per BCCI records is 20 years 351 days, last week played for Delhi U-23 against Bengal and scored 80. He was in line to replace senior opener Shikhar Dhawan in the Ranji squad but as it now stands, he will not play any further.
For the Punjab game in Mohali, selectors have picked right-handed middle-order batsman Vaibhav Kandpal and seam bowling all-rounder Siddhant Sharma in the squad of 15 in place of Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma.
