In a shocking incident, a video of Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag vaping inside a dressing room went viral on social media on Tuesday. The incident came to light when the camera panned towards Rajasthan Royals dressing room during their chase of 223 against Punjab Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) at Mullanpur, New Chandigarh.
It happened during Rajasthan Royals’ 16th over. In a video that instantly went viral, Parag was seen casually vaping in the presence of co-stars Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal. Smoking is completely prohibited inside the locker room and the stadium area – apart from a few designated areas.
BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia did not respond at the time mint alive asked for comment. Parag’s act did not go down well with the fans who called on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take strict action. Rajasthan Royals did not respond much when approached.
“Unacceptable behaviour. Smoking during matches or in the dressing room shows zero professionalism. With a 15-year-old like Vaibhav around, it sets a terrible example. BCCI must take strict action,” one user said.
“@BCCI @IPL what the hell. We want you to take action against such things,” wrote another. “@BCCI So will the blue-eyed boy @rajasthanroyals face ban and punishment?” written by the user.
What is vaping?
According to an article published on clevelandclinic.org, the act of inhaling an aerosol (mist) produced by a battery-powered device that heats a liquid containing nicotine, flavors and other chemicals is called vaping. Also known as e-cigarettes, it poses a significant risk of lung damage.
Is vaping legal in India?
Under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019, vaping is banned in India. Any violation of this law, which is the manufacture, sale, purchase, import, export and advertisement of e-cigarettes or vaporizers in India, may result in severe punishment, including imprisonment and heavy fines.
This is not the first time that Rajasthan Royals have found themselves in the middle of a controversy in IPL 2026. Earlier, Rajasthan Royals manager Romi Bhinder violated the Player and Match Officials Areas (PMOA) protocol by using a mobile phone in the dugout during a match, the video of which went viral on social media.
As punishment, the IPL Board of Governors imposed a fine of Rs ₹1 lakh on Bhinder. “Rajasthan Royals Team Manager Ravinder Singh Bhinder has been fined INR 1 Lakh for violating the BCCI IPL PMOA protocols during Match 16 between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the ACA Stadium, Guwahati on 10 April 2026,” the IPL said in a statement.
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