Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has been in the headlines again, this time for an off-field moment during his team’s encounter against Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. A clip of the live broadcast, which has now been widely shared on social media, shows the RR captain using a vape in the dressing room.

This incident was captured during the 16th over RR chased 223 at Mullanpur on April 28. Fans immediately caught hold of the moment and made it a topic of discussion online.

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Time increases attention. Parag is already under scrutiny this season for both his captaincy and his form with the bat, making this another layer to an already closely watched campaign.

What did Riyan Parag do?

The viral clip shows Parag in the RR dressing room during the second innings, using a vape while the match was going on. Scenes were picked up during the broadcast and widely circulated on social platforms.

As per IPL disciplinary rules, smoking is prohibited in the dressing rooms and stadium premises, except in designated areas. The clip has also raised questions because e-cigarettes or vapes are banned in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, which bans their production, sale, purchase and use, with violations punishable with fines and even imprisonment.

While RR won by six wickets and handed PBKS their first defeat of the season, Parag’s own outing was modest. He scored 29 runs from 16 balls, which was a brief contribution in the chase, which was eventually completed by Donovan Ferreira and Shubham Dubey.

Pollen counts have been very low this season. In 9 matches, he has scored 117 runs at an average of 14.63 and a strike rate of 124.47, putting pressure on his performance as captain.

Can Riyan Parag be punished for vaping?

There has been no official confirmation yet from the IPL regarding the clip or any possible conduct violations. However, the incident has sparked discussion about possible disciplinary action.

The IPL has in the past also taken a tough stance on dressing room conduct. At the beginning of this season, RR team manager Romi Bhinder was fined after she was spotted using her phone In the dugout during the match.

Recently, some viral clips related to players outside the field have also surfaced, Which also includes Kagiso Rabada, Which caught attention online. Although each case is different, the league generally takes action when rules violations are found.

If the clip involving Parag is deemed to be in breach of the IPL code of conduct, he could face a fine or further disciplinary action. However, the focus right now remains on whether the league chooses to make it official or not.

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