The former Mumbai cricketer along with 25 others has been provisionally suspended for doping
Former Mumbai cricketer Bhupen Lalwani is reportedly among 25 athletes from various sports who have been suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) after positive doping tests, according to the latest list released by the anti-doping body, as reported by PTI.
Cricketers rarely appear on India’s doping lists, which makes Lalwani’s inclusion particularly noteworthy. The batter, who represented Mumbai, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket, tested positive for terbutaline, a substance banned both in and out of competition unless the athlete has prior approval through a therapeutic exemption (TUE).
Lalwani played 25 first-class matches, three List A matches and two T20 matches during his domestic career. He transferred to Uttarakhand before the previous domestic season.
His case comes at a time when Indian sports continue to grapple with the growing problem of doping across disciplinesprompting authorities to step up efforts to address the issue.
RARE CASES OF DOPING IN CRICKET
Compared to several other sports, doping cases involving Indian cricketers remain relatively uncommon.
In 2025, Uttarakhand cricketer Rajan Kumar was found guilty of using three banned substances, drostanolone, methenolone and clomiphene. His case was reported to be only the third known case of an Indian cricketer failing a doping test after Prithvi Shaw in 2019 and Anshula Rao in 2020.
Kumar represented Uttarakhand in domestic cricket and was also selected by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the 2026 IPL season before the adverse finding came to light.
The latest case involving Lalwani once again shines a light on cricket’s anti-doping framework, even though the sport has largely remained insulated from the scale of abuses in athletics, weightlifting and wrestling.
NATIONAL RECORD HOLDER AMONG ATHLETES SUSPENDED
The latest NADA list includes several high-profile athletes from various sports.
Among them is women’s national 1500m KM record holder Deeksha, whose sample was found to contain Stanozolol, a banned anabolic steroid. Deeksha was temporarily suspended pending further proceedings.
Wrestler Sahil Jaglan, who tested positive for Stanozolol, is also on the list. Jaglan’s case drew attention as he competed in the Asian Games selection trials in Lucknow on May 31, despite being notified of his Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) by NADA on May 26.
Jaglan was tested out of competition on March 26 and was temporarily suspended with immediate effect. In the men’s 97 kg category, he eventually lost to Deepak Punia during the trials.
RELEVANT HIT WITH FRESH DOPING PROMOTION
Weightlifting has once again emerged as one of the sports most affected by doping violations.
Five weightlifters, Ajith Narayana, Vanshita Verma, Harcharan Singh, Heena and SB Charukesh, were suspended.
Ajith Narayana recently bagged two bronze medals at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar in the men’s 71kg category. Ajith and Harcharan tested positive for growth hormone, while Vanshita and Heena returned positive tests for Stanozolol.
The suspension could have wider implications for Indian weightlifting. Under the Commonwealth Games qualification regulations, multiple anti-doping rule violations during the qualification period may result in a reduction in the athlete quotas available to a country.
The latest round of suspensions comes amid lingering concerns over doping in Indian sports. In 2025, reports from several national and statewide competitions highlighted the extent of the problem, with authorities discovering evidence of banned substance use at competition venues. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya subsequently called for stricter enforcement measures and a more aggressive crackdown on doping offences.
Wtheir athletes from cricket, athletics, wrestling and weightlifting now appear in the latest NADA list, the challenge remains as pressing as ever for Indian sports administrators.
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
June 6, 2026 7:55 PM IST