Riyan Parag’s Vaping Row: Old Video of Aaron Finch Using E-Cigarette During IPL 2020 Resurfaces (WATCH)

Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag landed in controversy after being caught vaping in the dressing room during IPL 2026. As the video went viral, a throwback clip of Aaron Finch using an e-cigarette during IPL 2020 resurfaced. Parag now faces possible BCCI action for breaching rules and India’s e-cigarette ban.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Riyan Parag has been caught in a major controversy after he was caught vaping inside the dressing room during the IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Tuesday, April 28.

Though RR secured their sixth win of the season following a six-wicket victory over PBKS, the off-field incident involving Riyan Parag overshadowed the team’s clinical performance with the bat, chasing down a 223-run target with four balls to spare in the final, drawing widespread attention and sparking debate over player conduct during matches.

In a viral video, Parag was seen taking a puff from an e-cigarette inside the dressing room, while sitting alongside his teammates, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel, during the RR’s run chase in Mullanpur.

The entire incident was captured on camera, which eventually went viral on social media, sparking a flurry of reactions and criticism from fans, with many questioning the appropriateness of such behaviour during a live match.

Aaron Finch’s Vaping Video Goes Viral

As Riyan Parag caught the spotlight for an off-field incident, smoking an e-cigarette during a past IPL season resurfaced online, further fuelling the debate around player conduct and off-field behaviour.

During the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals clash in IPL 2020, Aaron Finch, who was representing the former’s franchise, was seen on camera using an e-cigarette while having a chat with one of his teammates in the dressing room.

Though the broadcaster immediately cut back to live action, it wasn’t enough to stop the clip from being recorded and widely shared on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter).

This was likely one of the earliest instances of a player being caught vaping in the dressing room on a live broadcast, drawing widespread attention and sparking discussions around player conduct during matches.

Riyan Parag To Face BCCI Heat Over Vaping Row

The RR captain, Riyan Parag, is expected to face severe disciplinary action from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the IPL committee for the breach of Player and Match Officials Area (PMOA) protocols.

As per the IPL regulations, vaping or smoking is strictly prohibited within the Player and Match Officials Area, including the dressing rooms and dugouts. Since e-cigarettes are banned in India under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019, any such act could also attract legal scrutiny in addition to disciplinary action from the BCCI and IPL authorities.

Violations can attract fines of up to INR 5 lakh and jail terms. Personal possession and vaping in public spaces are also prohibited in India, and Riyan Parag’s case is expected to be reviewed by the authorities, with potential disciplinary action likely in the coming days.

This was another breach by the Rajasthan Royals after its manager, Romi Bhinder, was caught using a phone in the dugout, for which he was fined INR 1 lakh and warned by the match officials for violating IPL match regulations during the game.