The ongoing IPL 2026 season has taken a shocking turn for Rajasthan Royals. Captain Riyan Parag’s recent controversial move has raised serious questions regarding discipline within the RR camp.
A video from the Rajasthan Royals dressing room spread like wildfire on social media, where Riyan Parag was allegedly seen using a vape device. This has created a massive controversy amid the ongoing IPL 2026, with the focus turning to the atmosphere and leadership of Rajasthan Royals.
BCCI starts deep investigation after Riyan Parag gets into big trouble
The vaping incident took place during RR’s IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings, where Parag was seen using e-cigarettes in the dressing room, which has been banned in India since 2019. IPL officials fined him 20 percent of his match fee for violating the code of conduct.
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Later, BCCI had also imposed a fine of 25 per cent along with one demerit point under the Level 1 offence. Riyan Parag may have escaped the ban, but the matter is not over yet. BCCI has started a thorough investigation and is considering taking strict action in the coming days.
“The BCCI is also exploring other options to initiate strict action against the erring team, its officials and players to ensure that the reputation of the IPL remains intact,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Kumar Sangakkara breaks silence on Riyan Parag controversy
Now, Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach Kumar Sangakkara has finally reacted to the controversy. The Sri Lankan legend admitted that such incidents cause losses to the team and distract the players from their main goal. He was really troubled by back-to-back off-field issues involving Riyan Parag and team manager Romi Bhinder.
Taking an indirect hit at Parag, Sangakkara stressed that being part of a big franchise comes with responsibility, especially for the person leading the team, so he should behave accordingly.
“Such controversies are not positive for the team, and all I can say is that both the issues have been addressed by the BCCI and the franchises. It is a reminder to the players that they have to maintain the team culture,” Kumar Sangakkara said in the press conference ahead of the RR vs DC IPL 2026 match.
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Rajasthan Royals to face BCCI action for Riyan Parag’s conduct
On the other hand, BCCI Secretary Devjit Saikia also confirmed that they will also take action against the Royals in the coming days. “As clearly written in the statement, we are exploring what action should be taken against the team. It has not been decided yet,” PTI quoted him as saying.
BCCI turns its focus to match referees in vaping controversy
Meanwhile, it is being said that BCCI may take action against the match referee in the “vaping” controversy. The board is reportedly looking into how a banned item like e-cigarettes was allowed inside the dressing room during the IPL 2026 match in Mullanpur.
Interestingly, there is no explicit rule in the BCCI playbook that directly penalizes a player for smoking during a match. Because of this, Parag escaped the ban and is unlikely to receive harsh punishment. But now the focus has shifted to the match referee.
Officials are responsible for checking and controlling what enters the dressing room. Since a banned item was spotted inside, the referee faced major trouble for not stopping it in the first attempt. BCCI aims to take strict action to avoid such things in future.
