Phone in IPL dugout controversy — RR manager Bhinder under scrutiny from Anti-Corruption Unit
Rajasthan Royals’ long-time team manager Romi Bhinder has found himself in the middle of a controversy after television cameras caught him using a mobile phone in the team dugout during an Indian Premier League fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati earlier this week.
While the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) has swung into action and initiated a probe, Board secretary Devajit Saikia said the “veracity of the incident” would be established before any conclusion is drawn.
“Managers using a mobile phone is permissible, but we need to find out whether there was any violation of rules. That fact-finding exercise is now on. Once it is complete, we will take necessary steps depending on the outcome,” Saikia told Sportstar.
Footage of the incident, showing Bhinder on his phone with Vaibhav Suryavanshi seated beside him, quickly went viral on social media, prompting the ACU to take cognisance.
However, Saikia reiterated that due process would be followed. “We will conduct an internal examination before reaching a logical conclusion. We need to review the video footage and gather evidence,” he added.
According to the IPL’s official guidelines under the PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) protocol (2026), “The Team Manager may use a phone in the dressing room but NOT in the dugout.”
Ahead of every season, the IPL conducts mandatory briefings for team captains and managers, taking them through the PMOA framework and anti-corruption protocols.
Bhinder, a long-serving figure with Rajasthan Royals, has been part of that system for years. During the franchise’s suspension between 2016 and 2018, he also worked with Rising Pune Supergiant as team manager, before returning to his old franchise in 2018.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
