BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has confirmed the board is preparing to act against “teams which are violating the norms” during the 2026 IPL. Speaking in Mumbai during the women’s T20 World Cup squad announcement, Saikia said the board is reviewing the tournament’s code of conduct after two recent incidents involving Rajasthan Royals.
Last month, Royals team-manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder was seen on his phone near the dug-out – a breach of the anti-corruption regulations that ban unauthorised devices at ground level. He was fined INR 1 lakh. A week later, captain Riyan Parag was filmed vaping in the dressing-room. He lost 25 per cent of his match fee and collected a demerit point.
“We are exploring some other options about how to bring the teams which are violating the norms,” Saikia said. “We will be taking some action. We are looking at the various terms and conditions and protocols of IPL [around] how the teams behave.”
The secretary stressed that responsibility extends beyond individuals: “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.”
Bhinder, who apologised to the board’s anti-corruption unit, maintained the phone use was inadvertent. Parag has not commented publicly.
Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara said the franchise and the BCCI had dealt with both matters swiftly and internally, adding they “always try to have a very positive healthy culture” within the squad.
Analysis
Mobile-phone restrictions have been part of the IPL’s anti-corruption framework since 2013, and player conduct in televised areas has become a priority as images travel instantly on social media. The board’s move suggests a wider push to hold entire franchises accountable, rather than issuing isolated fines.
For the teams, the message is straightforward: individual lapses can quickly become organisational headaches. The BCCI, keen to protect a tournament that generates the lion’s share of its revenue, appears ready to use its full disciplinary range if required.
