Rachit Bhatia: who is the former Nagaland cricketer at the centre of the IPL and DPL fixing allegations?
A relatively unknown former domestic cricketer has suddenly become one of the most searched names in Indian cricket. Rachit Bhatia, who represented Nagaland in domestic cricket, is at the centre of a major cricket-fixing controversy after a Tehelka undercover investigation published recordings in which he allegedly made claims about spot-fixing, leaked playing XIs and betting-related activities involving the IPL and Delhi Premier League (DPL).
The allegations have attracted significant attention because Bhatia claimed that confidential Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team information was passed to bookmakers during the 2025 Indian Premier League. He also spoke about alleged fixing-related activity in domestic cricket and claimed that he could provide inside information from the DPL.
However, there is an important distinction between an allegation and an established finding. The claims in the sting have not been independently established by a competent authority. The Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) has described the allegations as unverified and said it has shared the information with the relevant authorities for examination.
Who is Rachit Bhatia?
Rachit Bhatia was born on September 7, 1997, and is a Delhi-based cricketer who represented Nagaland in domestic cricket. He is a right-handed batter and right-arm medium-pace bowling all-rounder.
Bhatia made his first-class debut for Nagaland during the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season. He played six first-class matches and two T20 matches for the state. His first-class career produced 70 runs and 13 wickets, with his best bowling figures being 6/44. In T20 cricket, he scored one run and took two wickets.
His domestic career was relatively short. He did not play in the IPL, meaning his current connection to the tournament comes from the allegations made during the Tehelka investigation rather than from an IPL playing career.
Interestingly, Bhatia’s name does appear in the historical records of Nagaland’s first-class cricket. He was part of the squad for the state’s early Ranji Trophy campaign after Nagaland entered the competition in the 2018-19 season.
What did Rachit Bhatia claim about IPL 2025?
The biggest allegation made by Bhatia concerns the 2025 IPL season and Chennai Super Kings.
According to the Tehelka investigation, Bhatia claimed that he had access to information about CSK’s playing XI before the official announcement and passed that information to bookmakers. He allegedly said the information was communicated to a contact in London through Snapchat.
More significantly, Bhatia claimed that this activity was connected to five IPL matches in 2025 and that he received around ₹60 lakh for each match. According to his account in the sting, that amounted to ₹3 crore across five matches.
These are serious claims, but they should not be presented as proof that the matches were actually fixed. At this stage, they remain statements attributed to Bhatia in an undercover recording.
The allegation also does not mean that Chennai Super Kings or its players have been found guilty of wrongdoing. The investigation and any subsequent verification would need to establish whether the information existed, how it was obtained, whether it was actually used for betting and whether any rules or laws were breached.
What is the DPL connection?
The Delhi Premier League has also been mentioned in the Tehelka investigation.
The report says Bhatia provided information about the playing XI of Central Delhi Kings ahead of a DPL match. Tehelka reported that information supplied by Bhatia before the Central Delhi Kings-North Delhi Strikers match on August 3, 2026, matched the team’s eventual XI.
The investigation also reported that Bhatia discussed obtaining inside information before the toss and using it for betting purposes.
This part of the story has attracted additional attention because the DDCA has separately confirmed that it informed the BCCI about a reported corrupt approach connected with the DPL. The association said it had shared the information with the relevant authorities and that the allegations reported in connection with the sting were unverified.
That distinction is crucial. A leaked playing XI and a match-fixing allegation are not automatically the same thing. Sharing confidential team information can itself raise serious anti-corruption concerns, while proving actual match manipulation requires further evidence.
Bhatia also spoke about domestic cricket
The Tehelka investigation contains allegations that go beyond the IPL and DPL.
Bhatia reportedly claimed that he had been involved in spot-fixing during the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy while playing for Nagaland. He allegedly told the undercover reporter that he deliberately bowled two wide deliveries and received ₹8 lakh for each. That would amount to ₹16 lakh, according to the claim.
He also allegedly claimed that he paid ₹15 lakh to secure his place in the Nagaland Ranji Trophy team during the 2018-19 season. Again, this is an allegation contained in the sting recording and has not been independently established.
There is at least a verifiable cricketing connection to the 2018-19 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Bhatia played two T20 matches for Nagaland that season and took two wickets against Andhra in one of them.
Did Rachit Bhatia ever play in the IPL?
No. Rachit Bhatia did not play an IPL match.
His recognised domestic career was with Nagaland, where he appeared in six first-class matches and two T20 games. His name has now become associated with the IPL because of his claims about allegedly supplying CSK-related information during the 2025 tournament.
This is an important point for readers searching for terms such as “Rachit Bhatia IPL team” or “Rachit Bhatia IPL career”. There is no evidence that he represented an IPL franchise as a player.
What happens next?
The latest development is that the allegations have moved beyond social media discussion. The DDCA has communicated with the BCCI regarding the matter and said that the claims need to be examined through the appropriate process.
There has also been another development involving former CSK player Vansh Bedi. After his name began circulating online in connection with the allegations, Bedi publicly denied being the unnamed CSK player referred to by Bhatia and described the claims linking him to the sting as false and defamatory.
That denial is another reason to be careful with social-media speculation. Until an official investigation establishes facts, unnamed individuals should not be identified as participants based solely on online theories or interpretations of the sting.
For now, Rachit Bhatia is a former Nagaland domestic cricketer whose name has become central to a developing investigation into alleged corruption and information leaks in Indian franchise and domestic cricket. The recordings have raised serious questions, but the answers will depend on evidence gathered by the relevant authorities.
As the investigation develops, more clarity may emerge about the alleged IPL information leaks, the DPL claims and the wider domestic-cricket allegations.
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