The Rajasthan Royals franchise has officially written to Rajasthan’s Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and the State Sports Council, urging strong disciplinary action against Jaideep Bihani, convenor of the ad-hoc committee of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA), after his controversial allegations of match-fixing.
Jaideep Bihani, a BJP MLA from Sriganganagar, recently made indirect accusations suggesting foul play in the Royals’ narrow two-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. His remarks have triggered a sharp response from the Jaipur-based IPL team, which has categorically denied any wrongdoing.
In a detailed letter, the Royals said Bihani’s statements were “completely false and baseless,” and lacked any form of credible evidence. The franchise alleged that Bihani accused the Rajasthan Royals management, the Sports Council, and the BCCI of collusion to exclude the RCA ad-hoc committee from IPL-related operations — a claim they firmly rejected.
“These public allegations cause great damage to the reputation and image of Rajasthan Royals. Such statements have unnecessarily escalated the controversy and also attempted to mislead the public,” the letter stated. It further emphasized that the Royals, operating under Royal Multi Sport Private Limited (RMPL), have been coordinating successfully with the state government and sports authorities for 18 years, strictly as per BCCI guidelines.
The franchise also clarified that the Rajasthan Sports Council, not the RCA, holds the rights to host IPL matches in Jaipur this year. “Rajasthan Royals is working closely with the BCCI and the Council under the guidance and support of the state government to organise the IPL smoothly,” they noted.
Calling for urgent intervention, the Royals urged the authorities to take necessary steps to address Bihani’s conduct and prevent further damage to cricket’s integrity in the state. “We are writing to you with full faith in your leadership. We hope that you will intervene appropriately in this matter,” the franchise added.
While the Rajasthan Sports Council has acknowledged receipt of the letter, its president Neeraj K. Pawan was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. The BCCI has also reportedly been informed about the issue.
As the IPL season progresses, this controversy could have wider implications for the future of cricket administration in Rajasthan.
