Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder is expected to avoid a major punishment after his “imprudent and indiscreet” conduct during the IPL 2026 encounter against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati last week. Bhinder was spotted with a mobile phone close to the dugout on April 10, with images that went viral showing him seated in front of a refrigerator while teenage batting standout Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was positioned beside him, both appearing to look at the device. The moment occurred in the 11th over of RR’s chase, at a time when Sooryavanshi was sitting next to the manager.
Under the Player and Match Officials Areas (PMOA) guidelines, team managers are permitted to carry and use mobile phones only within the dressing room. In spite of the incident being viewed as careless, a report has suggested Bhinder may receive only a minor penalty along with a warning, pointing to the absence of any sign of deliberate wrongdoing. The discussion around anti-corruption safeguards is understood to be clear of any breach, with investigators reportedly not finding evidence that the act was driven by malicious intent.
The same report added that the ACSU carried out the inquiry and that formal notice was sent to the franchise. Bhinder, it was said, was fined and warned for using his phone in the dugout. However, investigators were reportedly persuaded that a medical requirement meant he needed the handset, which is believed to be why the matter did not escalate into a harsher outcome. Importantly, the report also stated that there was no separate conversation about Sooryavanshi in the investigation—describing him simply as a young player and suggesting the franchise could do more to reinforce the relevant rules to him. The reasoning offered was straightforward: there is no value in intimidating a youngster.
It was further reported that Bhinder responded within 48 hours of receiving the BCCI’s notification, issuing an apology to the board for the lapse.
With the issue now in focus, Rajasthan will turn their attention to their next match on Sunday against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Led by Riyan Parag, the Royals currently occupy third place in the points table, having won four of their matches and lost just once so far in the tournament.
