Riyan Parag Under Fire: BCCI seeks clarity over vaping row; disciplinary action pending
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Riyan Parag Under Fire: BCCI seeks clarity over vaping row; disciplinary action pending")
BCCI seeks clarity over Parag's IPL vaping row; disciplinary action pending Photograph: (AFP)
BCCI to probe RR captain Riyan Parag after he was caught vaping on live TV during IPL 2026. The Royals star faces potential fines or a ban for the PECA violation.
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was earlier caught on camera vaping inside his team’s dressing room midway through the second innings in the recently concluded away IPL 2026 game against Punjab Kings on Tuesday (Apr 28). Shortly after his dismissal, Parag (sitting alongside teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel) was recorded smoking an electronic vape – whose production, advertising, and use are all but banned in India, sparking controversy. With this matter reaching BCCI’s doorstep, the Indian Cricket Board vows to seek an explanation from him and, based on that, will decide the disciplinary action.
“We will be seeking an explanation from Riyan on this issue, as vaping is not allowed. Depending on his explanation, the IPL will take further course of action,” a BCCI source said in a chat with the Indian Express.
Considering that smoking is strictly prohibited inside the team dressing room and the stadium premises, getting caught smoking out on national television invites nothing but trouble for the Royals’ captain, who, per The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, could either face imprisonment or a hefty fine. This act raises serious concerns over smoking (vaping) because they are neither legal nor regulated in the country and may require further investigation.
What happened?
After the first ball of the 16th over in the second innings, the camera showed the Royals’ dressing room, where Parag was sitting and smoking a vape, with the fans taking notice of that quick glimpse. Soon after, that footage was all over the internet, and top sports publications worldwide began reporting.
Even though the Royals won the match by chasing a massive 223 with six wickets and four balls remaining, ending Punjab’s winning run in IPL 2026, having their team captain under the scanner would have dented their celebrations.
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Meanwhile, this is not the first time that the Rajasthan-based franchise has come under scrutiny. Earlier, the team manager, Romi Bhinder, violated PMOA protocol by casually using his mobile phone in the team dugout, sparking debate all over.
As things stand, the Royals sit in third place with six wins from eight contested matches, and Punjab continue to take the top spot with 13 points from as many games.
