Riyan Parag Rajiv Shukla for BCCI. Image Credits: AFP
Riyan Parag has been in the spotlight recently after a video showed him vaping inside the dressing room during an Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) match. Initially, he did not respond to the situation. However, after Rajasthan Royals’ match against Delhi Capitals, he finally spoke about it.
It is important to note that the incident happened during a game against Punjab Kings, where cameras caught him on a live broadcast. As a result, the video quickly went viral, and many people began questioning player discipline and whether vaping is acceptable under Indian rules.
BCCI takes action against Riyan Parag
Due to this, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took action. Parag admitted his mistake, and therefore, he was fined 25% of his match fee. In addition, the Assam batter received one demerit point for breaking Level 1 rules of the IPL Code of Conduct.
Following the controversy, the IPL released an official statement confirming the punishment. However, instead of letting the controversy affect him negatively, Parag chose to focus on his performance.
Riyan Parag lets his bat do the talking
Soon after the incident, Parag showed great determination on the field. During the match against Delhi Capitals in Jaipur, the young batter ended a poor run of form by scoring a half-century in just 33 balls. Before this match, he had only scored 117 runs in nine games.
Furthermore, Riyan Parag built an important partnership with teammate Dhruv Jurel, helping Rajasthan Royals reach a strong total. Alongside this, Donovan Ferreira played a quick and powerful innings, which helped the team post a high score of 225 runs.
Even though the team eventually lost the match by seven wickets, Parag’s performance stood out and showed his ability to bounce back under pressure.
Also Read: “Sorry For Doubting”: Fans Hail Riyan Parag For Fiery Knock Vs Capitals In IPL 2026
Riyan Parag responds to critics
After the match, Riyan Parag was asked if his performance was a reply to his critics. However, he made it clear that he does not focus on outside opinions. He said,
"I don't need to answer critics (on his form), but my job is to score runs and get the two points for the team. I think it was a good score. Though 200 was par, the pitch was slowing down, but we bowled badly, conceded boundaries every over and lost a trick or two."
Apart from the controversy and performance, Parag also shared an update about his fitness. He mentioned that he felt a slight strain in his hamstring. However, he reassured everyone that it does not seem serious.
"Hopefully, nothing serious (on his injury), just a tweak on the hamstring, we have a week to recover," Parag said after the match.
Meanwhile, despite the loss, Rajasthan Royals continue to hold fourth place on the points table, with 6 wins and 4 losses from 10 matches and a net run rate (NRR) of 0.510. Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals (DC) have moved up to sixth position, with 4 wins and 5 losses so far.
Also Read: BCCI Sides With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Against Kyle Jamieson
