Rajasthan Royals are dealing with a fresh off-field controversy ahead of their upcoming IPL encounter against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with attention now centered on whether team manager Romi Bhinder will be allowed to enter the dugout on match day. The situation follows an incident from the Royals’ previous fixture, and the decision is still being worked through.
The dispute traces back to Rajasthan’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati, where Bhinder was reportedly seen using a mobile phone while inside the team’s dugout. The concern relates to a breach of the “PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) Protocol – 2026”, a guideline that limits mobile phone usage within specified team and match-official zones.
Even so, the matter remains under review by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia indicated that the board will not jump to conclusions and will instead carry out a thorough assessment of the evidence available before arriving at any outcome. He stressed that the process will involve examining exactly what happened and whether the phone was actually used in the restricted area.
Saikia said that while some individuals are permitted to carry phones into the dugout, Bhinder’s case—given his role as team manager—requires careful scrutiny. “Certain individuals are allowed to carry phones in the dugout and Romi Bhinder, as a manager, can carry it. But we need to thoroughly examine where exactly the event happened and whether the phone was used. We will conduct an internal examination before reaching a logical conclusion,” Saikia was quoted as saying.
He added that the board’s approach will be evidence-based and not driven by claims. “As I said, we will examine it. We can’t act on what is being said. We will see the pictures, video and whatever we can get before reaching to the conclusion.”
Reports also suggest that the issue has not yet been formally brought before the IPL Governing Council. As a result, there is still no final word on whether Bhinder will be granted access to restricted areas for the Royals’ match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The controversy has gained additional momentum because broadcast and camera angles are said to have captured Bhinder using the phone during Rajasthan’s chase. Young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was also reportedly seen looking at the screen, which has further fueled discussion around whether protocol compliance was maintained in the PMOA zone.
As per the usual process, the match referee submits a post-match report, and it is not yet clear whether this specific incident has been officially recorded as part of that submission. The Guwahati fixture between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru was officiated by Vengalil Narayanan Kutty, and anti-corruption personnel were also present during the match.
