CHENNAI: On Friday night, all eyes will be on Riyan Parag if he walks out to the toss in the game between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals. The Royals skipper, caught on camera using a vape inside the dressing room in their last match against Punjab Kings, has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for the act. He has also picked up one demerit point for breaching the league's Code of Conduct for Players and Team Officials.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) added in their press release that: "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."
Parag, capped 10 times across both white-ball formats by India, 'admitted to the offence' imposed by the match referee. With the 24-year-old accepting that he used the vape, it remains to be seen if the cops want to press charges. Because vaping is banned in India, possible punishments include some jail time or a fine of up to `1 lakh. But there has been no information and, as such, Parag remains free to continue playing for the Royals.
Curiously, BCCI has reserved the right to 'initiate proceedings' to ensure that 'the reputation of the IPL remains intact. Per the last line of the body's press release: "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."
This is not the first time Rajasthan franchise has gotten into trouble in the ongoing season. Earlier this month, RR team manager Romi Bhinder was caught using mobile phone in team dugout during the clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Guwahati, violating the Player and Match Officals Area protocol. “Acknowledging the lapse, Mr. Bhinder admitted to the offence and offered an unconditional apology. As this was his first breach under the prescribed protocols, a fine of INR 1 Lakh has been imposed in accordance with Article 7.42(a) of the BCCI IPL PMOA Protocols. He has also been warned to exercise greater care in the future and to adhere strictly to the established guidelines. Royals also are free to open an internal investigation and may ultimately decide to take action against the captain,” IPL had stated in a release at the time.