BCCI Steps Up Anti-Corruption Measures Following TNPL Concerns
For the first time, the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) of India’s Board of Control for Cricket (BCCI) has expanded its supervision to include all state-run T20 league matches. The action represents a fundamental shift in how the BCCI regulates domestic cricket below the Indian Premier League level.
Until now, comprehensive ACSU coverage was limited to international cricket, the IPL, and major domestic matches. State T20 events were administered with relatively little control, a gap that the board is now working to rectify.
The extension follows a recent incident during the Tamil Nadu Premier League in which a Tamil Nadu cricketer was fined INR 1 lakh by the ACSU and forbidden from competing after a mobile phone was discovered in the Players and Match Officials Area. The player’s identity has not been made public, and the duration of the punishment has not been confirmed.
Why has the BCCI decided to expand ACSU coverage across state leagues?
The ACSU has documented an increasing trend of bookies and suspicious individuals approaching players, team owners, and managers in violation of the code of conduct. This trend in state tournaments appears to have driven the board to place all such competitions under strict observation.
Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, has publicly supported the ACSU’s policy of regarding even slight blunders as severe dangers to the game’s integrity, implying that the board will not differentiate between little and large breaches in terms of enforcement.
State T20 leagues have a proven history of integrity issues, which adds weight to the conclusion. In 2019, the ACSU conducted an investigation into potential communication between bookmakers, players, and coaches in the TNPL.
The same year, six Karnataka Premier League players, one coach, and one team owner were arrested in a spot-fixing incident. These incidents highlight the vulnerability of state-level competitions and explain why the BCCI chose to act immediately rather than waiting for another serious event.
What punishments have previously been imposed for telephone infractions in 2026?
The TNPL fine is not a unique incident in the current year. The Rajasthan Royals team manager, Ravinder Singh Bhinder, was also fined INR 1 lakh in 2026 for using a phone in the dugout during an IPL match, demonstrating that the ACSU holds franchise support workers to the same standards as players.
Mobile phones in restricted areas, including as the Players and Match Officials Area, are considered a code of conduct violation because unauthorised contact during a match is one of the principal means by which corrupt approaches are initiated or facilitated.
With the enlarged mandate now in effect, ACSU officers will be present at state T20 contests that previously attracted little attention. Players, support staff, and team management in all state events will be subject to the same rules as IPL and international cricket.
