IPL player and young cricketer, Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag, was caught vaping on camera. This happened in the ground's dressing room during the team's IPL 2026 match against the Punjab Kings at the New Chandigarh Stadium.
In the video, Parag was seen casually taking a puff and exhaling smoke in front of his teammates, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel. Although the Rajasthan Royals won the game, Parag vaping has triggered controversy.
Netizens have been slamming Riyan Parag for doing so; however, some have also come out in support of him.
BCCI reacts
"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 official was quoted as saying to The Indian Express.
The Rajasthan Royals are yet to comment on the matter.
According to a PTI report, IPL captains had flagged as a major concern during the pre-season meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and IPL officials. It pertained to the lack of players' privacy in the dressing room, which was raised as an objection to cameras panning into the dressing room during live broadcasts, but rather to the broader issue of privacy, which the BCCI may now review in light of the controversy surrounding Parag.
"It was not specifically related to the use of e-cigarettes in the dressing room. It was broadly around players' privacy. There are times when players are not fully dressed in the dressing room or may want to avoid cameras.
"They were told that it is up to the broadcaster and not the BCCI to decide on cameras showing the feed from the dressing room. After this incident, it may be reviewed.
"Having said that, it was careless from Parag, and it is difficult to defend something like this. An elite athlete caught smoking like this is not setting a good example for the public," an IPL source told the PTI.
The report also mentioned that IPL and BCCI officials involved in the conduct of the league termed it a careless act from Parag, especially in the age of social media and constant camera scrutiny.
"A lot of players consume e-cigarettes, but they don't do it in the dressing room. It is too risky and careless to be doing that with so many cameras around. With Parag caught vaping so openly, the BCCI might be forced to act," another well-placed IPL source said.
This was not the first time that the franchise has found itself in the middle of a controversy this season. Earlier this month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs 1 lakh for breaching PMOA protocol after being found using his phone in the dugout during a game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
It must be noted that smoking and vaping are strictly prohibited within IPL stadium premises except in designated open areas. A few days back, Gujarat Titans pacer Kagiso Rabada was seen smoking at the team hotel, but in an open area.
Will Riyan Parag face a jail term?
E-cigarettes are banned in India under a 2019 law that prohibits their manufacture, import, sale and storage, regardless of nicotine content. Violations can attract hefty fines and jail terms. Personal possession and vaping in public are also banned.
If found guilty, the BCCI could fine Parag for breaching IPL rules and setting a poor example for youngsters like 19-year-old spinner Yash Raj Punja and 15-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who play for Rajasthan Royals.
As per the law, the offender faces imprisonment of up to one year and/or a ₹1 lakh fine for a first-time offence. It will be interesting to see how the BCCI handles the controversy.
What does the law in India state on vaping?
As per the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, "no person shall, directly or indirectly, (i) produce or manufacture or import or export or transport or sell or distribute electronic cigarettes, whether as a complete product or any part thereof; and (ii) advertise electronic cigarettes or take part in any advertisement that directly or indirectly promotes the use of electronic cigarettes.
"...no person, being the owner or occupier or having control or use of any place, shall knowingly permit it to be used for storage of any stock of electronic cigarettes."
Parag is not the first cricketer in the IPL to be caught vaping inside the dressing room. Earlier, during the 2020 season of the IPL, then Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer Aaron Finch was also caught doing the same inside the dressing room in a match against Rajasthan Royals in Dubai.
For the unversed, vaping is legal in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but not in public.
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