Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag has found himself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons over the past few days. At a time when his team has been performing well and sitting comfortably in the top four, the conversation has shifted away from results to his vaping incident during the match against Punjab Kings. Calling it merely irresponsible would be an understatement, especially given that e-cigarettes and vapes are banned in India. Parag was caught using one in the dressing room during the game, with the visuals going out live on television and quickly drawing widespread criticism.
The BCCI responded with disciplinary action, fining him 25 per cent of his match fee and imposing one demerit point for bringing the game into disrepute. The episode has raised questions about awareness and accountability, particularly for a player in a leadership role. In a country where cricketers are seen as role models, such actions invite scrutiny, and the fact that it unfolded on live TV only made matters worse for Parag at a time when his team needed focus.
Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin weighed in on the controversy surrounding Parag’s vaping incident, offering a measured but clear take on the situation. While refraining from harsh criticism, Ashwin stressed that such episodes are avoidable, especially for young players still carving their path in the game.
“I think this is totally a situation that could have been avoided. I want players not to get trapped in such things. I don’t really want that for a young player, and this is a little sensitive, too. I think, on all quadrants, if we look at so many things, this could have been avoided.” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Continuing his remarks, Ashwin spoke about the fine line between personal choice and public responsibility. He made it clear that while what a player does in his private life is entirely his own decision, things become different when such actions play out in a public setting.
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He framed it as friendly advice rather than criticism, stressing that players, especially those in leadership roles, need to be mindful of how they conduct themselves in public. With Parag leading a franchise and being looked up to by younger cricketers, he pointed out that maintaining that boundary between personal and public space becomes all the more important.
“Sometimes what happens is it’s a personal choice, but your personal choice should be in your personal space. If you do all this in public space, that can very well be avoided. All I would say is this: it’s my small advice as an elder brother. I want to tell Riyan Parag that, whatever happens in your personal life, nobody has any concern about it. Nobody can say anything about that. But whatever you do, do it in your personal space, because you are a captain, you are a franchise leader. You are probably an inspiration for many cricketers, many youth, many young Indians, and young people around the world. So there is some responsibility too,” he added.
Ashwin sympathises with Riyan Parag
Ashwin softened his stance with a note of empathy, acknowledging the pressures on young players like Riyan while still underlining that such situations are avoidable.
“I have my deepest empathy and sympathy for the young kid, but at the same time, I totally believe all these things should and can be avoided,” he added.
Concluding his remarks, the veteran Indian star acknowledged the pressures of modern-day scrutiny but stressed that such incidents cannot simply be brushed aside, pointing out that without action, there is little scope for learning,
“It can’t be easy, man. In today’s world, I also sometimes read things and think, man, I mean, sometimes this happens. I’m not saying these things should be let go under the carpet, because if action isn’t taken, nobody will learn from it. But it is better to avoid these things,” he concluded.