Amid the ongoing 2026 Indian Premier League, Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel and Sunrisers Hyderabad vice-captain Abhishek Sharma have been added to the updated pool of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA). Notably, NADA has significantly increased their pool size, including players from all sports across India.
In the current pool, a total of 348 athletes have been listed. 14 of them are cricketers, 3 of them being female players. Notably, Axar Patel and Abhishek Sharma have been added for the second quarter (April-June) of 2026. Axar and Abhishek have replaced Smriti Mandhana and Shreyas Iyer, who were a part of the previous quarter.
Cricketers added for anti-doping scrutiny:
Is there anything to worry about for Abhishek Sharma and Axar Patel?
NADA basically adds top-tier athletes for aggressive monitoring. With the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games coming, they have increased the player count in a pool.
Both Abhishiek Sharma and Axar Patel are T20 World Cup-winning players, which automatically got them on the list. However, these are basic protocols. Inclusion in the RTP is not due to any violation or suspicion.
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What are the protocols?
Athletes registered with the testing pool should update their whereabouts. This means they can be located for no-notice testing. The Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS) identifies the detailed information of the player's location.
Every day, the concerned player must specify one specific hour between 5:00 AM and 11:00 PM and a precise location where they are guaranteed to be available for testing. He/she must list his/her overnight accommodation, regular training venues and schedules, and competition locations.
If plans change—such as a late flight or a change in hotel—the athlete must update ADAMS immediately. Updates can be made via the Athlete Central App or even SMS up to one minute before their 60-minute window starts.
What happens if the player fails to follow the rules?
There might be cases where a player delays submitting the whereabouts information or submits it inaccurately or is even absent during the designated 60-minute window at the given location. In such cases the player might face a two-year ban from all sporting activities. However, the ban can be reduced to 12 months depending on the athlete's degree of fault.
