The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has addressed the vaping controversy involving Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag. The situation arose after viral video footage, captured during the live broadcast of the match against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday, April 28, appeared to show the skipper vaping in the dressing room following his dismissal. The incident took place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium and quickly drew significant public attention, momentarily detracting from the Royals' successful run chase.
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BCCI seeks Riyan Parag's explanation on vaping controversy
In response to the viral clips and the subsequent online debate, the BCCI has decided to intervene. According to reports from sources close to the matter, the governing body will formally seek an explanation from Parag regarding his actions. The board intends to review his response before deciding on any further disciplinary measures or the appropriate course of action moving forward.
"Parag will be asked to explain accordingly we Will go ahead and the franchise Will also be asked to look that what’s happening in the franchise but yes we Will make sure that such thing never happen again," BCCI source told Sports Tak.
Riyan Parag's rough outing with the bat in IPL 2026
Beyond the recent off-field controversy, Parag is facing a challenging season with the bat. Throughout his nine appearances in this IPL campaign, he has struggled to make an impact with the bat, accumulating only 117 runs at a modest average of 14.63 and a strike rate of 124.47. His highest individual score remains just 29, and he has yet to record a half-century in the tournament. Parag assumed the captaincy for RR following a significant roster shake-up that saw former skipper Sanju Samson traded to the Chennai Super Kings in a deal that brought Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to the franchise. Despite this transition, Parag has found it difficult to maintain consistent form while shouldering his new leadership responsibilities.
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The franchise showed immense faith in the right-handed batter by retaining him alongside teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer ahead of the mega auction. However, his ongoing batting struggles have raised concerns, leading to questions regarding whether he can effectively justify his position as captain and his value as a retained player.