Riyan Parag, captain of Rajasthan Royals, has been fined 25% of his match fee and handed one demerit point after being caught vaping inside the dressing room during RR’s Indian Premier League 2026 clash against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh.
According to a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Parag breached Article 2.21 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which relates to behaviour that brings the game into disrepute. The incident occurred during RR’s successful chase of 222, which they completed with four balls to spare. Parag admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by match referee Amit Sharma.
The BCCI further stated that it is exploring additional options to initiate stricter action against the franchise and those involved to safeguard the league’s reputation.
This marks the second disciplinary issue involving Rajasthan Royals this season. Earlier, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined ₹1 lakh for using a mobile phone in the dugout during a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati, a violation of IPL area protocols. Bhinder later termed the breach inadvertent and issued an unconditional apology.
Both incidents came to light after images circulated on social media, raising fresh concerns around compliance and discipline within team environments.
