The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) moved to address a fresh IPL controversy on Sunday after Rajasthan Royals’ long-serving team manager Romi Bhinder came under scrutiny over an alleged breach of match-day rules during the franchise’s IPL 2026 encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati on Friday. The incident, involving the use of a mobile phone from the dugout, initially failed to register during the broadcast, but it quickly gained traction after a clip surfaced online and went viral.
In the footage, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is seen seated next to Bhinder inside the dugout. Both appear to be focused toward a device at one point, with Bhinder briefly using the phone while play was underway. The context was enough for the episode to ignite debate among fans and former players, particularly because IPL regulations are explicit about what kind of electronic devices can be present in official areas during a match.
Speaking to PTI, a BCCI official confirmed that the act would fall under a violation of the IPL’s Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol. “Yes, Bhinder has breached the PMOA protocol, because mobile phones are not permitted in the dugout during a match,” the official said.
Under the established guidelines, team managers are allowed to use a mobile phone within the dressing-room zone, but that permission does not extend to the dugout during live proceedings. The only individual granted access to electronic devices in the dugout is the team analyst, and even that is limited to a designated analyst table, keeping the match environment tightly controlled.
The report also noted that Bhinder, who has been associated with the franchise since the inaugural IPL season, is expected to be fully familiar with anti-corruption and match conduct protocols. A senior official suggested that while the breach could have been accidental, there still has to be some form of response because it technically violates the rules. Depending on what the match referee and the ACU (Anti-Corruption Unit) report, disciplinary steps could range from a formal warning to a possible match ban, with the final decision expected to be taken by the IPL Governing Council.
“It could be inadvertent, but there has to be some action since it amounts to a breach. Whether it results in a warning or a match ban will be determined by the match referee’s and ACU’s reports. After that, the IPL Governing Council will take the call,” the official said.
Beyond the phone-related allegation, Bhinder may face additional scrutiny after Sooryavanshi referred to him as his “local guardian” during the post-match presentation. The phrase added a personal touch to the moment and has only intensified attention on the dugout episode following the viral clip.
Earlier, former IPL chairman Lalit Modi highlighted the controversy on social media, questioning why anti-corruption officials were not present or intervening if the incident truly occurred. Modi described the situation as a “complete no-no” and urged immediate action, adding that the governing council should act without delay if a mobile phone was indeed used in the dugout during the match.
Rajasthan Royals, for their part, have not released an official statement addressing the matter so far.
