Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Romi Bhinder (X) Rajasthan Royals find themselves at the center of an off-field controversy ahead of their IPL clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with attention shifting to whether team manager Romi Bhinder will be allowed inside the dugout today.The issue stems from the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati where Bhinder was seen using a mobile phone in the team’s ground cover. This is understood to be a breach of the ‘PMOA (Player and Referee Protocol) – 2026’ which restricts the use of mobile phones in designated team areas and official matches.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 judgement, and will first conduct a detailed examination of all available materials.“Certain individuals are allowed to carry phones in the dugout and Romi Bhinder as a manager is allowed to carry them. But we have to thoroughly investigate where exactly the incident took place and whether the phone was used. We will conduct an internal investigation before reaching a logical conclusion,” Saikia told TimesofIndia.com.He went on to add: “Like I said, we’re going to look into it. We can’t act on what’s been said. We’ll see pictures, video and whatever we can get before we come to a conclusion.”According to reports, the matter has not yet been brought up to the IPL Board of Governors. A final call on his participation in the limited overs is still awaited and it remains unclear whether Bhinder will be allowed to enter the dugout for the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.The incident drew further attention as cameras reportedly showed Bhinder using his phone while Rajasthan Royals chased, with young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also seen on screen. The visuals sparked a debate about protocol compliance in the PMOA zone.It is standard practice for the match referee to post a post-match report and it is not yet confirmed whether this incident has been formally covered. Vengalil Narayanan Kutty officiated the Rajasthan Royals vs RCB match in Guwahati and anti-corruption officials were also present during the match.
