Romi Bhinder, who has held multiple positions in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) backroom since the start of the IPL in 2008, has courted controversy after TV cameras caught him using a mobile phone in the team dugout during their IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Guwahati on Friday.
ESPNcricinfo understands that Bhinder has so far not been charged with a breach of the IPL's code of conduct.
*BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, though, told PTI that the board would be "reviewing the video footage and gather evidence before reaching any conclusion." He added: "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."
Pictures of the incident - Bhinder on his phone with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi next to him - was put up on social media after the match, and it has since been ascertained that Bhinder, the RR team manager who is also 15-year-old Sooryavanshi's "local guardian" during the IPL, was indeed using a mobile phone during the match.
"Yes, Bhinder has indeed breached the protocol of the players' and match officials' area (PMOA) as cell phones are banned in the dugout during match," a BCCI official had earlier confirmed.
On the IPL's official website, the concerned clause regarding PMOA protocol 2026 states: "The team manager may use a phone in the dressing room but NOT in the dugout."
"It could be inadvertent but there has to be some action since it amounts to breach," the BCCI official said. "Whether it will be warning or match ban will depend on match referee and ACU [anti-corruption unit] report. Based on that IPL governing council can take a call."
RR won the match against RCB by six wickets, with Sooryavanshi the Player of the Match for his 26-ball 78, which also took him to the top of the Orange Cap table for the most runs in the tournament.
1515 GMT, Apr 12: The news story was updated after BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia addressed the matter