Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag landed in fresh trouble on Tuesday after a television camera appeared to catch him “vaping” inside the team dressing room during the IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at New Chandigarh Stadium. The incident quickly became a talking point online, coming at a time when e-cigarettes are already covered under India’s restrictions—banned in 2019, with manufacturing, selling and distributing prohibited. Under the relevant law, a first-time violation can attract imprisonment of up to one year and/or a fine of INR 1 lakh.
As the debate intensified, another recurring concern—one that IPL captains had raised during a pre-season meeting with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and league officials—returned to the spotlight. The issue centred on how much privacy players have in dressing areas, with a report noting that objections were raised to camera angles that could include dressing-room footage during live coverage. Importantly, this privacy discussion is separate from the matter of e-cigarettes themselves; it relates to player personal space. With Parag’s episode now in the spotlight, the BCCI could be prompted to revisit the privacy question.
“It was not specifically about the use of e-cigarettes in the dressing room. The broader concern was players’ privacy—there are moments when players may not be fully dressed in that space or may simply want to avoid cameras,” a source said. The same source added that responsibility for what is shown from the dressing-room feed rests with the broadcaster rather than the BCCI, but suggested that the incident may lead to a reassessment. “They were told that it’s up to the broadcaster and not the BCCI to decide on cameras showing that feed. After this incident, it perhaps may be reviewed.”
Even with the privacy angle under discussion, the view from within the IPL ecosystem was clear that Parag’s conduct was indefensible. “Having said that, it was careless from Parag and it is difficult to defend something like this. An elite athlete caught doing something like this is not setting a good example for the public,” an IPL source remarked.
The report further indicated that league and board officials overseeing IPL conduct have described the episode as a careless act, particularly given today’s social-media environment and the near-constant presence of cameras at matches. “A lot of players consume e-cigarettes, but they don’t do it in the dressing room. It’s too risky and careless when there are so many cameras around. With Parag caught vaping so openly, the BCCI might be forced to act,” another well-placed figure in the IPL setup said.
Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, have not issued a public statement on the controversy.
This is also not the first time the franchise has been pulled into a dispute during the current season. Earlier in the month, team manager Romi Bhinder was fined ₹1 lakh for violating the PMOA protocol after he was found using his phone in the dugout during a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
