A TV camera caught him. Instagram spread it. And now the BCCI has confirmed it — Rajasthan Royals‘ long-serving team manager Romi Bhinder was using a mobile phone inside the dugout during their IPL 2026 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a direct breach of tournament protocol.
For a franchise riding the crest of a perfect start to IPL 2026, this is an unwanted headline. Bhinder has been part of the RR setup since the franchise’s very first IPL season, which makes the breach both surprising and, for many who know him, difficult to believe was deliberate.
What the Cameras Caught — and What the BCCI Confirmed
The incident surfaced through a social media influencer on Instagram, who flagged footage from RR’s six-wicket win over RCB in Guwahati on Friday. The clip showed Bhinder with a mobile device in the team dugout — an area where phones are explicitly banned under IPL’s Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol.
A BCCI official left no room for ambiguity. “Yes, Bhinder has indeed breached the protocol of Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) as cell phones are banned in the dugout during match,” the official confirmed. The IPL’s own website draws a clear line: team managers may use a phone in the dressing room, but not in the dugout.
Making the optics more complicated — teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was seated right beside Bhinder at the time. Sooryavanshi had publicly referred to Bhinder as his “local guardian” during the post-match presentation, placing both names at the centre of the same frame.
The PMOA Rule and What It Means
The Players and Match Officials Area protocol is one of cricket’s stricter anti-corruption measures. It exists to prevent the real-time transmission of match-sensitive information while a game is in progress. The dugout, unlike the dressing room, falls firmly within the PMOA zone — and that boundary is non-negotiable regardless of seniority or intent.
A senior BCCI official acknowledged the complexity. “It could be inadvertent but there has to be some action since it amounts to breach. Whether it will be a warning or match ban will depend on the match referee and ACU report. Based on that, the IPL Governing Council can take a call.” A reprimand looks inevitable. A dugout ban for one or more matches remains a real possibility.
I think context matters here — Bhinder’s record is clean across nearly two decades with RR, and those in the know seem reluctant to view this as a calculated act. But the BCCI cannot afford inconsistency on anti-corruption compliance, and that means some form of formal action is coming.
Sooryavanshi Stole the Show on the Field
While the Bhinder story dominated the post-match noise, the cricket itself was something genuinely worth watching. Sooryavanshi, 15 years old, produced one of the most devastating powerplay innings of the IPL 2026 season — 78 off just 26 balls, against an attack that included Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood.
He hit eight fours and seven sixes. RR completed the chase well inside the powerplay. Dhruv Jurel, batting at a different tempo entirely, finished unbeaten on 81 to anchor the chase at the other end.
| Stat | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi — IPL 2026 |
|---|---|
| Matches | 4 |
| Runs | 200 |
| Average | 50.00 |
| Strike Rate | 266.66 |
| Half-Centuries | 2 |
| Top Score | 78 (26 balls) vs RCB |
| Orange Cap | Yes (current holder) |
RCB’s Competitive Effort Came Up Short
RCB had given their bowlers something real to defend. Rajat Patidar top-scored with 63, Virat Kohli contributed 32, and Venkatesh Iyer pushed the total to 201/8 with an unbeaten 29 at the death. It was a competitive score on that Guwahati surface.
For RR with the ball, Ravi Bishnoi, Jofra Archer, and Brijesh Sharma each claimed two wickets. The bowling was disciplined enough. But when Sooryavanshi is in that kind of form in the powerplay, even 200-plus rarely feels safe.
RR’s IPL 2026 Season in Perfect Shape — Off the Field, Less So
Four games, four wins. RR sit at the top of the IPL 2026 points table with eight points, and they are playing with a confidence and clarity that marks them as genuine title contenders. Their batting has Sooryavanshi as a first-over weapon unlike anything else in the competition. Their bowling attack is balanced and experienced.
The Bhinder situation is a distraction the franchise does not need right now. The Anti-Corruption Unit and the match referee will compile their reports. Those go to the IPL Governing Council, which then decides the penalty. Expect an update within days. RR will want this resolved and out of the headlines quickly so the conversation returns to where it belongs — their cricket.
If you’re tracking IPL 2026 closely this season — from playing XI predictions to pitch reports to fantasy picks for every RR match — stay with us. We cover every development as it breaks, so you’re never caught off guard when the toss comes around. Follow along and get ahead of the game.