India’s National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) has issued formal notices to two national cricketers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shafali Verma, after they were placed under scrutiny for failing to be available for scheduled doping tests. Both players are registered under NADA’s Registered Testing Pool (RTP), which requires athletes to comply with strict whereabouts and testing obligations.
The incidents occurred during separate attempted sample collections conducted by doping control officers. On 7 November last year, officials visited the residence of women’s cricketer Shafali Verma for sample collection, but she was not present at the location. In a separate case, on 17 December of the same year, officials attempted to collect a sample from Yashasvi Jaiswal, but he too could not be located at the time of the visit.
Following these incidents, NADA sought explanations from both players in February this year. However, no response was reportedly received within the stipulated period. As a result, both athletes were recorded as “missed tests” under anti-doping compliance procedures.
The matter has been formally communicated to both the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC), in line with standard protocol for athletes competing at the highest level of the sport. Authorities have now issued what has been described as a final seven-day deadline for the players to provide their explanations regarding the missed tests.
Under NADA and broader World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) compliant regulations, athletes included in the Registered Testing Pool are required to provide accurate and up-to-date information about their whereabouts. This includes daily locations and specific time slots during which they can be available for unannounced testing. Failure to be present at the declared location during the designated time may be recorded as a missed test. Repeated failures or failures combined with other filing deficiencies can potentially lead to further disciplinary review under anti-doping rules.
The following table summarises the sequence of events as reported:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 7 November (previous year) | Doping control officers unable to locate Shafali Verma at her residence for sample collection |
| 17 December (previous year) | Yashasvi Jaiswal not found during sample collection attempt |
| February (current year) | NADA requested explanations from both players |
| Subsequent action | Both players listed as “missed tests”; final seven-day deadline issued for response |
NADA’s Registered Testing Pool includes athletes considered to be at higher risk for in-competition and out-of-competition testing. Inclusion in this pool requires strict compliance with anti-doping administrative requirements, particularly accurate whereabouts filings. These rules are designed to ensure that athletes can be tested without prior notice, maintaining the integrity of competitive sport.
The case remains under procedural review pending the players’ responses within the stipulated timeframe.