Riyan Parag vaping act likely to attract BCCI's wrath as RR plunge in further trouble after mobile phone row

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag is under scrutiny after being caught vaping inside the dressing room during his team's successful run chase of 223 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday, April 28 in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The video of Parag using an electronic device to smoke was captured on live television and has since been going viral on the Internet.

RR became the first team this season to beat PBKS whose seven-match unbeaten run was finally halted. Half-centuries from Donovan Ferreira and Yashasvi Jaiswal, alongside quickfire cameos from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Shubham Dubey, helped RR chase down 223 in the final over of the match.

However, despite the win, RR camp would be worried with Parag's video all over the social media.

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Parag breaks Indian law

As per the current rules, smoking is completely prohibited inside the stadium and the dressing room except in designated areas. Players and officials are screened at the gates and are not allowed to bring lighters, matches, or any electronic smoking devices into the arena.

Parag was seen smoking through an electronic device which is banned in the country under The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019. Law regarding the usage of vapes are strict and prohibits the production, sale, purchase, import, export and advertisement of e-cigarettes/vapes in India. Violation carries heavy fines and can also lead to imprisonment.

BCCI likely to take strict action

While the board is yet to react to the development, reports state that RR will have a hard time avoiding any consequences of the incident.

"Unlike smoking a cigarette, you don't know what you are inhaling when it comes to vaping. There is a reason why it is banned in the country and one has no clue about the ingredients which go inside it and whether it meets the safety guidelines. Especially for an elite athlete. The franchise and the captain will need to keep their reasons ready because the BCCI is unlikely to come down soft on an incident like this," an industry source told the Times of India.

RR's dugout has already been at the centre of a controversy earlier this season when the franchise's manager was seen using a mobile phone in the dugout while sitting alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The video of that incident had also gone viral on social media and BCCI fined Romi Bhinder for violating protocols.