Uttarakhand cricketer Rajan Kumar tests positive for doping

Rajan Kumar, a left-arm pacer from Uttarakhand, recently tested positive for banned substances, prompting the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) to place him on provisional suspension. Kumar last appeared for Uttarakhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this season.

According to an India Today article, Rajan Kumar’s dope sample tested positive for three illegal substances:

anabolic steroids Drostanolone and Metenolone, as well as Clomifene. While Drostanolone and Metenolone are recognised for their muscle-building and performance-enhancing characteristics, Clomifene is commonly recommended as a fertility medication for women. However, it is also taken by male athletes to boost testosterone levels.

Following the positive test result, NADA provisionally suspended Kumar, as per standard anti-doping procedures. The cricketer has not released any official statement so far, and it is unclear whether he will challenge the findings or seek testing of his B sample. Kumar last featured for Uttarakhand in their Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Group D match against Delhi, played in Ahmedabad on December 8, 2025.

Prithvi Shaw tests for doping in 2019

The last Indian cricketer to fail a dope test was Prithvi Shaw in 2019, while Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Anshula Rao was caught in 2020. Shaw’s 2019 case drew nationwide attention after the batter admitted to an Anti-Doping Rule Violation, stating that the prohibited substance Terbutaline entered his system through an over-the-counter cough syrup. Shaw was handed an eight-month ban by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

India has topped the World Anti-Doping Agency’s annual list of nations with the most doping violators for three consecutive years. With India set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad and bidding for the 2036 Olympic Games, the issue has drawn immense attention.