Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag was caught vaping in the dressing room during an IPL 2026 match against the Punjab Kings, an act captured on video that went viral. The incident has sparked a major social media controversy, overshadowing RR's victory and leading to questions about potential disciplinary action from the BCCI.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag came at the centre of controversy after he was caught vaping during the IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Tuesday, April 28.
RR recorded their sixth win of the season following a six-wicket win over PBKS, whose six-match winning streak came to an end with a defeat. With a 223-run target, the Royals chased it down with four balls to spare in the final. An unbeaten 72-run stand between Donovan Ferreira (52) and Shubham Dubey (31) sealed a thrilling victory for the Rajasthan Royals.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 51-run knock and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's quickfire innings of 43 off 16 balls laid the foundation for RR’s strong chase, giving the side early momentum before Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey finished the job in a tense final phase.
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Parag Caught Vaping in the Dressing Room
As the Rajasthan Royals sealed a dominant victory with a dominant batting performance against the Punjab Kings on the field, a controversy has erupted on the field, with Riyan Parag being caught vaping inside the dressing room during the match in Mullanpur.
In a video that went viral on social media, the RR skipper was seen vaping with an electronic device inside the dressing room during the visitors’ 223-run chase. Riyan Parag was spotted taking a puff from the device while seated in the dressing room, alongside his teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.
Though Riyan Parag appeared to be sneakily taking a puff from the electronic vape device, the camera captured the moment, which quickly spread across social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter).
This was another breach by the Rajasthan Royals after its manager, Romi Bhinder, was caught using a phone in the dugout, for which he was fined INR 1 lakh and warned by the match officials for violating IPL match regulations during the game.
Now, Riyan Parag’s vaping incident is expected to trigger internal scrutiny within the Rajasthan Royals camp, with the franchise likely to review the dressing room conduct and address the matter internally.
Parag’s Vaping Video Sparks Social Media Storm
An unexpected incident of Riyan Parag vaping inside the dressing room during the IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings has sparked a storm on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts questioning how the electronic vaping device was allowed inside the dressing room.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts expressed mixed reactions, with some questioning the captaincy standards and discipline inside the dressing room, especially when certain protocols and regulations have been put in place to avoid off-field distractions during match days and maintain a professional team environment.
Others raised concerns over the presence of vaping devices in a professional team environment and called for clarity from the IPL and BCCI regarding the incident.
The vaping incident by Riyan Parag has appeared to have spiralled further on social media, with the video continuing to trend on X and fans debating the incident heavily across platforms.
Though the Rajasthan Royals defeated the Punjab Kings, it has apparently been overshadowed by off-field controversy surrounding Riyan Parag’s viral dressing room video, which has now become the main talking point across social media.
Will Riyan Parag Face Disciplinary Action from BCCI?
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag is expected to face strict disciplinary action from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Indian Premier League (IPL) committee, as he breached the stadium rules and regulations for the ongoing season of the tournament.
According to the IPL rules and regulations for players, smoking, which explicitly includes electronic cigarettes and vapes, is strictly forbidden inside dressing rooms and dugouts. Since Parag used an electronic vaping device inside the dressing room during a live match, the incident is likely to be reviewed by the officials and could lead to disciplinary action depending on the severity of the breach and the evidence available.
Moreover, in India, vapes are illegal throughout the country under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, meaning that the sale, purchase, and use of e-cigarettes nationwide could lead to a fine between INR 60,000 and INR 5 lakh and an imprisonment period between 6 months and 3 years, depending on the severity of the violation.
will be handed a formal warning, fine, or even a match ban as the BCCI and IPL governing council are expected to review the incident and decide further action based on match footage and regulatory guidelines.
