The Rajasthan Royals find themselves embroiled in controversy following a dramatic two-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on April 19, during which 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his historic debut as the youngest-ever player in IPL history. However, the spotlight has shifted from the young prodigy to serious accusations of match-fixing against the franchise.
RR, already reeling from a disappointing season with just two wins from eight games, now sit at eighth on the IPL 2025 points table. With regular captain Sanju Samson sidelined due to injury, leadership and form woes continue to haunt the team. But the controversy that erupted after the Jaipur loss has added fuel to the fire.
Jaideep Bihani, BJP MLA and convenor of the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) ad hoc committee, has publicly accused RR of suspicious conduct in the match. Speaking to News18 Rajasthan, Bihani raised eyebrows over the manner in which the team failed to chase a modest target of 181 despite needing just nine runs off the final over.
According to the News18 report, Bihani hinted at foul play and questioned how did Rajasthan lose a match on home ground with such few runs remaining to be chased in the final over. He further alleged that RR have sidelined the RCA in organising IPL matches and questioned the franchise’s financial arrangements with the Zila Parishad, who took charge of the Sawai Mansingh Stadium operations.
Bihani said in the interview, “The ad hoc committee has been appointed by the state government in Rajasthan. After analysing our work, we were given an extension for the fifth time. During our tenure, we’ve conducted all competitions successfully right from the district level to the national level. However, as soon as the time for hosting IPL came, the Sports Council took control of it. For IPL, the BCCI had first sent a letter to RCA only. The excuse given by the Sports Council and RR was that we don’t have an MOU from Sawai Mansingh Stadium. If MOU is not there, so what? Aren’t you paying the Sports Council for every match?”
In the match’s final over, RR needed just nine runs with Dhruv Jurel on strike and Shimron Hetmyer at the other end. But LSG’s Avesh Khan delivered a composed over, dismissing Hetmyer and conceding only three runs in the last three balls. RR finished at 178/5. The franchise has not responded officially to the accusation yet.