New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has imposed a fine on Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag due to his use of a vape within the dressing room during a recent match against Punjab Kings. The incident occurred while the Royals were pursuing a target of 223 runs.
A video of the event quickly circulated on social media, leading to Parag being fined 25% of his match fee. Additionally, he accumulated one demerit point for violating Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials. This breach specifically pertains to Article 2.21, which addresses “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.”
The sanction was enforced by match referee Amit Sharma, and Parag accepted the penalty and acknowledged the misconduct. The BCCI also indicated that it is considering more stringent measures against teams and individuals who violate regulations in order to uphold the integrity of the IPL. “The BCCI 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,” the BCCI stated.
A challenging IPL 2026 for Riyan Parag
Despite the controversy, the Rajasthan Royals are performing well under Parag’s leadership, with six victories in nine matches. Nonetheless, Parag’s personal performance with the bat has been underwhelming. To date, he has scored only 117 runs in nine matches, with a strike rate of 124.46 and an average of 14.62; his highest score is 29, which he achieved in the match against PBKS where he was caught vaping.
The Rajasthan Royals are set to face Delhi Capitals next on Friday (May 1) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
