Kamal Ghorui
Rajasthan Royals find themselves at the centre of an off-field controversy ahead of their IPL clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with the focus shifting to whether team manager Romi Bhinder will be allowed inside the dugout today.The issue stems from the previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati, where Bhinder was seen using a mobile phone inside the team’s dugout. This is understood to be a breach of the “PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) Protocol – 2026”, which restricts mobile phone usage in designated team and match official zones.However, the matter is still under review by the Board of Control for Cricket in India. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that the board will not rush to judgment and will first carry out a detailed examination of all available material.“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 told TimesofIndia.com.He further added, “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.”According to reports, the issue has not yet been placed before the IPL Governing Council. A final call on his participation inside restricted areas is still pending, and it remains unclear whether Bhinder will be permitted in the dugout for the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.The incident has drawn further attention as cameras reportedly showed Bhinder using the phone while Rajasthan Royals were chasing, with young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also seen looking at the screen. The visuals have triggered debate around protocol compliance in the PMOA zone.
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As per standard procedure, the match referee submits a post-match report, and it is yet to be confirmed whether this incident has been formally included. Vengalil Narayanan Kutty officiated the Rajasthan Royals vs RCB match in Guwahati, and anti-corruption officers were also present during the fixture.
