Rajasthan Royals ended Punjab Kings' winning run on Tuesday, but their victory has been overshadowed by a viral controversy. During the Royals' chase of a 222-run target in Mullanpur, live cameras filmed captain Riyan Parag using an e-cigarette inside the dressing room.
The clip, recorded in the 16th over of RR’s chase, has sparked a storm on social media, diverting attention from the hard-earned win to a possible violation of IPL regulations as well as Indian law.
The incident carries implications far beyond the cricket field. E-cigarettes and vapes are banned in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019.
Law: The act prohibits the production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage, and advertisement of e-cigarettes.
Penalties: Violations can attract fines of up to Rs. 500,000 and even jail terms.
Public vaping: Personal possession and vaping in public or semi-public spaces like stadiums is forbidden.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to take a stance on the matter. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside dressing rooms and stadium premises, except in designated zones. For a team captain and "elite athlete," the optics are particularly damaging.
This is the second disciplinary hurdle for Rajasthan recently. Team manager Romi Bhinder was fined Rs. 100,000 and issued a warning earlier this season for using a mobile phone in the dugout, suggesting a potential lapse in protocol management within the camp.
Live capture: The incident occurred while teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel were in close proximity.
Captaincy under fire: Parag, at 24, is under pressure due to a lean run with the bat (averaging 14.62).
Zero tolerance: The BCCI anti-corruption unit (ACU) monitors dressing room conduct with high scrutiny to maintain the integrity of the game.
Safety standards: Health experts note that vapes often contain unregulated ingredients that pose significant risks to high-performance lung capacity.
Winning the match pushed RR to third on the table, but Riyan Parag’s actions have placed him in a position of vulnerability. As a captain, he is expected to be a role model; instead, he has handed the BCCI a reason to issue a heavy sanction. In a season where his batting hasn't done the talking, this off-field distraction is the last thing the Royals needed.
