Riyan Parag smoking controversy: RR skipper handed one demerit point, fined 25 pc of match-fee

MUMBAI: Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag has been fined 25 per cent of his match-fee and handed a demerit point after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room during his side’s Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Punjab Kings (PBKS).

A press statement from the IPL said, “Riyan Parag, Captain, Rajasthan Royals, has been fined 25% of his match fee and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials during Match No. 40 of the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Punjab Kings”/

“Riyan was found to have breached Article 2.21 of the IPL’s Code of Conduct, which relates to “conduct that brings the game into disrepute.” The incident occurred during the second innings when Riyan was seen using a vape inside the dressing room,” the statement added.

Riyan admitted to the offence and accepted the sanction imposed by the Match Referee, Amit Sharma. The BCCI is also exploring other options to initiate proceedings for stringent action against the erring team, its officials and player/s to ensure that the reputation of IPL remains intact.

While RR is having a fine IPL campaign as a collective, having won six and lost three matches and being a strong contender for playoffs with 12 points, holding a fourth-place finish currently, Riyan is himself having a poor run with the bat, having made just 117 runs in nine matches at a poor average of 14.62, a strike rate of 124.46 and a best score of 29.

So far, the RR’s fire-packed campaign has been dominated by the opening pair of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (400 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of over 238, with a century and two fifties) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (306 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of over 158, with three fifties), the pace duo of Jofra Archer (14 wickets at an average of 19.50) and Nandre Burger (nine wickets at an average of 32.77).

Donovan Ferreira (182 runs in six innings at an average of 36.40 and a strike rate of over 158, with two fifties) has also delivered some strong finishes for RR. The Royals will take on the Delhi Capitals (DC) at a home clash on Friday. (ANI)