Tamil Nadu cricketer fined for texting girlfriend during match

A Tamil Nadu cricketer has been fined Rs100,000 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) for breaching the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocol during a Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) match. According to reports, the player was seen using a mobile phone in the dugout to text his girlfriend while the game was in progress.

Although no corruption charges have been filed against him, mobile phone usage in the PMOA during a match is strictly prohibited under BCCI regulations. The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) has not disclosed the player's name, but confirmed that he is a left-handed batsman who scored two centuries during last year's Ranji Trophy.

The player, aged 26, was initially considered for a two-year ban, but the punishment was deemed too severe for a minor offense, leading to a fine instead. The PMOA protocol mandates that team managers can only use phones inside the dressing room, and players, as well as most support staff, must switch off their devices upon arrival.

Only the designated analyst is allowed to use a computer at a designated station for match-related data.