3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Apr 30, 2026 03:41 PM IST
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has fined Riyan Parag 25 per cent of his match fee and handed him one demerit point for vaping inside the dressing room during Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on Tuesday.
“Riyan Parag, Captain, Rajasthan Royals, has been fined 25% of his match fee and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials during Match No. 40 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Punjab Kings,” the BCCI said in a statement.
The statement added that Riyan was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which relates to ‘conduct that brings the game into disrepute.’
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“The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room. Riyan admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by the Match Referee, Amit Sharma,” the board said.
Visuals of the incident, captured during the live broadcast, went viral and triggered widespread debate. The BCCI added it ‘is also exploring other options to initiate proceedings for stringent action against the erring team, its officials and player/s to ensure that the reputation of IPL remains intact’.
However, an official said they will first seek an explanation from Parag. “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,” the BCCI official told The Indian Express.
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The clip is believed to have been recorded during RR’s 223-run chase, shortly after Parag’s dismissal. While the fine and demerit point have been imposed, the matter remains under internal review.
The 24-year-old has endured a modest season so far, scoring 117 runs in nine matches at an average of 14.63 and a strike rate of 124.47, with a highest score of 29. He is yet to register a half-century this season.
Parag took over as RR captain from Sanju Samson, who moved to the Chennai Super Kings in a trade involving Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. He was among the franchise’s five retained players ahead of the November 2024 mega auction, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and Shimron Hetmyer.
This is the second controversy involving RR this season. Earlier, franchise manager Ravinder ‘Romi’ Bhinder was caught on camera using a phone during a match against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati.
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He was later cleared by the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), but received a warning and a fine of Rs 1 lakh for breaching IPL PMOA protocols.
RR next face the Delhi Capitals in a home clash in Jaipur on Friday.
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