Tehelka’s Special Investigation Team used hidden cameras and undercover reporters to expose a spot-fixing and playing XI leak network operating inside India’s franchise cricket. The investigation, published under the name “BigCricket Operations,” trended on X on September 20, 2026, and names former Ranji Trophy cricketer Rachit Bhatia as the alleged middleman at the centre of the operation.
Bhatia, 28, debuted for Nagaland in the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy and currently works as a selector and coach for Delhi school cricket teams across U-14, U-17, and U-19 age groups. According to the Tehelka sting, he brokered inside information between a young Delhi-based cricketer and London-based bookmakers, using Snapchat as the primary communication channel.
The player was not named in Tehelka’s original report. Cricket journalist Pratyush Halder identified him publicly on X as Vansh Bedi, a 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Almora, Uttarakhand.
What cameras captured and scorecards recorded was a fringe squad member who never played. What they missed is the access a player in that position carries into every team meeting, every net session, every selection conversation, and why that access is worth lakhs per match to the right buyer.
🚨 Meet the Pawn of Spøt Fixiñg Sc@ndler Rachit Bhatia — Vansh Bedi 🚨
•Vansh played for CSK in 2025 IPL. He leaked playing XIs & inside informations od CSK dressing room before the toss to Ruchit.
•Ruchit sold those infos to boøkies in London via Snapchat.
•The rate was 60… pic.twitter.com/OxugYlyu0y
— Pratyush Halder (@pratyush_no7) September 21, 2026
The IPL 2025 operation
Chennai Super Kings bought Vansh Bedi for Rs 55 lakh at the IPL 2025 auction. He was expected to debut as a wicketkeeper option but picked up an injury during practice before a match against RCB. Urvil Patel eventually replaced him in the squad for the remainder of the season. Bedi never played an IPL match.
According to Tehelka’s findings, that did not matter. His value was not on the field. Rachit Bhatia allegedly received CSK’s playing XI information from the player before the toss for five matches during IPL 2025. The rate was Rs 60 lakh per game. The information was forwarded to London-based bookmakers via Snapchat. The total alleged earnings from five matches came close to Rs 3 crore.
The communication system used emoji codes to represent different players, avoiding names entirely. Physical meetings took place in Model Town, Delhi, and at Hotel Shangri-La. Cash-only payments were insisted upon by Bhatia. Playing XI information was paid for within 1 to 1.5 hours of delivery.
DPL 2026: lower rates, higher guarantee
When the IPL season ended, the operation shifted to the Delhi Premier League. Vansh Bedi played for Central Delhi Kings in DPL 2026, scoring 47 not out off 16 balls in one rain-curtailed match against Outer Delhi Warriors.
The alleged playing XI leak rate dropped to Rs 40 lakh per game. But according to Tehelka’s investigation, the guarantee rose. Bhatia claimed DPL information carried a 100% accuracy guarantee compared to 90% for the IPL.
On August 3, 2026, a playing XI provided to Tehelka’s undercover reporter allegedly matched the official team announced for a Central Delhi Kings vs North Delhi Strikers match. The DPL, broadcast live on Star Sports, offered real-time betting opportunities that made the leaked information immediately actionable.
Insider Read
Anti-corruption protocols in the IPL protect the dressing room from outsiders. Accreditation is mandatory. Phones are restricted in the Players and Match Officials Area. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia flagged during IPL 2026 that “unauthorised persons who are moving along with the team members” were entering hotels and players’ rooms.
But none of that addresses the vulnerability this case exposes. A squad player who sits on the bench is inside every room the protocols are designed to protect. He hears which bowler has a niggle. He knows when the captain prefers an extra spinner. He watches the head coach finalize the XI in team meetings. He is not an outsider breaching security. He is the security blind spot itself.
The auction that broke the pipeline
Vansh Bedi went unsold at the IPL 2026 auction. No franchise bid for him. That single outcome collapsed the entire IPL arm of the operation.
The rates had already been set for IPL 2026. Playing XI leaks at Rs 60 lakh per game. Spot-fixing at Rs 1 crore per game. According to Tehelka’s report, Rachit Bhatia’s ability to deliver depended entirely on his player being inside a franchise squad. When no franchise picked Bedi, the product disappeared overnight.
The operation was forced back to the DPL, where state league infrastructure offered far less scrutiny than the IPL.
BCCI’s wider crackdown
The BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit expanded monitoring to all state T20 leagues in August 2026, the first time ACSU coverage extended comprehensively beyond international cricket, the IPL, and mainstream domestic fixtures. The move came after the ACSU identified a “growing pattern of bookmakers and suspicious individuals approaching players, team owners and managers” across state tournaments.
Six players were caught using smartphones across various state leagues. A Tamil Nadu Premier League player was fined Rs 1 lakh and barred from the tournament after a phone was found in the restricted area.
The gap between IPL-level security and state league reality remains the core problem. IPL dressing rooms have ACSU officers and accreditation checkpoints. DPL dressing rooms do not.
What remains unanswered
No official response has come from the BCCI, DDCA, CSK, or either of the named individuals. No formal investigation has been confirmed. Tehelka has stated it will publish responses from the DDCA, BCCI, and relevant agencies once received.
The Dhoni IPL fixing defamation case showed how seriously CSK treats integrity allegations. Whether the franchise or the BCCI’s anti-corruption unit acts on the Tehelka findings will determine whether this story ends as an exposé or the beginning of a formal probe.
Update, September 22, 2026:
Vansh Bedi has broken his silence. In a statement posted on Instagram, the former CSK batter denied any connection to Rachit Bhatia’s claims, calling the social media speculation “highly defamatory” and confirming legal action is underway.
The bigger development came from the DDCA. Secretary Ashok Sharma revealed that Bedi had “promptly reported a corrupt approach to the Anti-Corruption wing from a player from Uttar Pradesh,” positioning him as the person who flagged the approach, not the one under suspicion. The DDCA has since written to the BCCI requesting a formal inquiry.
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