Riyan Parag caught vaping in the dressing room during Rajasthan Royals' run chase, set to face sanctions

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag was caught vaping in the dressing room during their run chase against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, on April 26. The camera panned to RR dressing room during the 16th over of the run chase. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was standing beside him and gesturing to something happening on the field.

ALSO READ: Shaun Pollock delivers verdict on whether PBKS should've retired out captain Shreyas Iyer in RR clash

The video has gone viral on social media. E-Cigarettes or vapes are banned in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA) 2019. Under the act, the sale and purchase of e-cigarettes/vapes is banned in the country. Violating it may lead to the person facing imprisonment and hefty fines. Smoking anyway is banned in the dressing room and stadium premises. It is only allowed in designated areas.

ALSO READ: 'Body was a bit fatigued': Shreyas Iyer opens up after PBKS’ first IPL 2026 defeat

"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," a source told TOI.

ALSO READ: Veteran voices support for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, says 'India comeback? Why not'

The RR skipper is set to face sanctions for his act in the stadium premises. Earlier, RR's manager Romii Bhinder was fined and warned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for using his smartphone in the dugout as it violates the PMOA protocol.

Royals end Punjab Kings’ unbeaten run

Meanwhile, RR handed table-toppers PBKS their first defeat of the ongoing season. RR chased down the target of 223 with six wickets in hand and four balls to spare. While Yashasvi Jaiswal and Donovan Ferreira scored fifties, Parag showed signs of regaining form as well. He did not sacrifice his no.4 spot and hit two fours and as many sixes in a 16-ball 29. He fell to Yuzvendra Chahal in the 14th over. Soon after getting out, he was spotted vaping in the dressing room.

This was RR's sixth win from nine games. They are placed third on the points table.