The Rajasthan Royals have been at the centre of controversies in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 edition. Firstly, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined INR 1 lakh for using a mobile phone inside the dugout during the fixture against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and then skipper Riyan Parag was docked 25 per cent of his match fees for vaping inside the dressing room during the fixture against the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. While both guilty parties were reprimanded and pulled up by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it appears the body is in no mood to let the incidents pass.
On Saturday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said the board is planning to take action against IPL teams that continue to violate norms and guidelines. On the sidelines of the squad announcement for the Women’s T20 World Cup, a BCCI official confirmed that the protocols are under review and that a decision will soon be made on how to punish teams that allow such incidents to occur.
“We are exploring some other options about how to bring the teams which are violating the norms,” Saikia said, according to ESPNcricinfo.
“We will be taking some action. We are looking at the various terms and conditions and protocols of IPL [around] how the teams behave,” he added.
It is worth noting that when the sanction and fine were imposed on both Bhinder and Parag, they accepted the charges and pleaded guilty. However, the BCCI secretary said that the IPL’s image can never take a hit, and hence, action needs to be taken to maintain decorum.
“It is not just players or officials. As a team, they have to maintain some decorum so that the image of the IPL is never adversely affected. To ensure that we have to take a call and we will be taking some action,” said Saikia.
All you need to know about Bhinder and Parag incidents
During the IPL 2026 match against RCB, the Rajasthan team manager was spotted sitting alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and it was then that the duo were seen peeking at the mobile in Bhinder’s possession, who also acts as Sooryavanshi’s guardian. The images went viral in no time, prompting the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit to issue a show-cause notice to the RR official.
BCCI secretary Saikia then confirmed to HT Digital that Bhinder’s clarification was not satisfactory, and that he was fined INR 1 lakh and issued a warning.
Days later, Parag, the RR captain, was seen vaping inside the dressing room. Vapes are not legal in India, and hence, heavy outrage followed on social media. The BCCI was prompt, taking action, and Parag was fined 25 per cent of his match fees.