IPL 2026: Nitish Rana Penalised After Furious Outburst Over Tristan Stubbs Glove Snub

Delhi Capitals batter Nitish Rana has been penalised by the Indian Premier League Governing Council after confronting a match official during his side’s IPL 2026 match against Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday.

Rana was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point following the incident, which occurred during the final phase of Delhi’s run chase.

The penalty was imposed after he admitted to breaching Article 2.3 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to the "use of an audible obscenity during a match."

The offence was classified as a Level 1 breach, where the decision of the Match Referee is final and binding.

The incident unfolded in the 19th over with Delhi Capitals requiring 32 runs from two overs.

Tristan Stubbs, unbeaten on 60 from 36 balls, requested a change of gloves while at the crease. The fourth umpire, Anish Sahasrabudhe, denied the request citing pace-of-play regulations.

Rana, who had been left out of Delhi’s playing group after scores of 15, 0 and 5 in the first three matches, was in the dugout at the time.

He reacted angrily to the decision and engaged in a heated exchange with the fourth umpire.

Stubbs was dismissed on the third ball of the over, bowled by Jamie Overton, without adding to his score. The batter showed visible frustration on his way back, throwing his helmet and bat.

Delhi Capitals eventually lost the match by 23 runs.

Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad, captain of Chennai Super Kings, was also fined ₹12 lakh for a slow over-rate, which marked the team’s first such offence this season, according to an ESPNcricinfo report.

Gaikwad became the third captain to be penalised for a similar offence in IPL 2026 after Shubman Gill of Gujarat Titans and Shreyas Iyer of Punjab Kings.