The Board of Control for Cricket in India has finally taken action against Riyan Parag, captain of Rajasthan Royals, for his on-camera vaping incident during an IPL 2026 match, ending days of speculation. Parag has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee after being found guilty of a Level 1 offence under Article 2.1 of the IPL Code of Conduct.
The charge is for behavior that harms the image of the game, after visuals showed Riyan Parag appearing to use an e-cigarette in the dressing room during Rajasthan Royals’ match against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. There were calls by some fans that the BCCI should ban Riyan Parag for his antics. However, they must know that there’s no clear rule made for smoking inside a dressing room. Hence, the BCCI was caught in a limbo.
Riyan Parag fined 25% match fee for vaping incident
With no specific rule in place for smoking or vaping inside the dressing room, the BCCI has invoked Article 2.21 of the Code of Conduct. This provision is designed to cover behaviour that is not explicitly mentioned but is still considered inappropriate or harmful to the image of the game.
“The Article 2.21 is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically or adequately covered by the specific offences set out in the COC.”
“By way of example, Article 2.21 may (depending upon the seriousness and context of the breach) prohibit, without limitation, the following: (a) public acts of misconduct; (b) unruly public behaviour; and (c) inappropriate comments which are detrimental to the interests of the game.”
In Riyan Parag’s case, the offence was treated as a minor breach, which is why he received only a fine and no suspension or further action. According to Cricbuzz, Parag was served the official notice on Thursday morning. While he retains the right to appeal the decision, doing so could open the door to further proceedings. At this stage, he is expected to accept the fine and move on.
The incident happened during the second innings, when TV cameras briefly showed Riyan Parag in the dressing room appearing to use an e-cigarette, commonly called a vape. The clip quickly went viral, drawing attention not just because of the act itself but also due to India’s strict laws around e-cigarettes. The storage, buying and selling of vapes are banned in the country.