'Maintain some decorum’: BCCI reaches saturation point after Riyan Parag incident, concerned about IPL’s image
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia promised action against IPL teams who continue to violate norms in the 2026 edition of the tournament.
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.
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“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.
ABOUT THE AUTHORVishesh RoyVishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More



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