IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals Team Manager Lands In Controversy Over PMOA Protocol Breach Explained

New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals team manager Romi Bhinder landed in controversy after being seen using a mobile phone inside the dugout during their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati on Friday, breaching PMOA (Players and Match Officials Area) regulations.

The incident took place in the 11th over of RR's chase, when Bhinder was observed checking his phone, with young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi seated beside him and glancing at the screen. According to the PMOA Protocols 2026, a manager may carry a phone but cannot use it in the dugout.

What Are The PMOA Protocols 2026?

• Mobile Phones or any other electronic communication equipment are not allowed to be used by the Players and Match Officials Area other than for a few members of the team.
• The team manager can use the phone in the Dressing Room but not in the dugout.
• Apart from the team manager, only the media manager is permitted to carry a mobile phone within the PMOA, and even then, its usage is strictly regulated under protocols issued before the tournament.

• Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder could face disciplinary action, with the possibility of being summoned by the match referee and the anti-corruption unit, after the incident went viral on social media, leaving the BCCI and IPL Governing Council under pressure to respond to the breach.
• An IPL official clarified that although certain personnel, like managers, can carry phones, using them in the dugout is a serious breach, especially with players able to view the screen, leaving "no grey area" in the rules.
• Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi urged "immediate action" via a post on X, increasing pressure on the IPL Governing Council to respond.
• The PMOA protocol strictly regulates device usage, with players and staff required to deposit phones before matches, while designated BCCI Anti-Corruption officials monitor compliance across all restricted areas.