IPL 2026: Will RR skipper Riyan Parag play vs DC in Jaipur amid vaping controversy?

Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Riyan Parag faced criticism during his team’s IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on 28 April.

A video of Parag vaping in the dressing room during the match went viral, drawing strong backlash.

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin was among those who weighed in on the controversy, offering a timely warning to the Assam cricketer.

Parag was found to have committed a Level 1 breach and received a 25% fine of his match fee, along with one demerit point. For a first-time Level 1 breach, the standard penalty is a fine of up to 50% of match fees, plus one demerit point, rather than a match ban.

“Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20,” says the IPL Code of Conduct.

"Article 2.21 of IPL Code of Conduct is intended to cover all types of conduct that bring the game into disrepute and which is not specifically and adequately covered by the specific offences set out elsewhere in this Code of Conduct, including Article 2.20," the Code of Conduct adds.

The 24-year-old has endured a forgettable outing with the bat in IPL 2026. In nine matches, Parag has scored 117 runs at a strike rate of 124.46.

Rajasthan Royals, the inaugural IPL champions, are currently in fourth place in the IPL 2026 standings with 12 points from nine matches.