Riyan Parag vape row: Ravichandran Ashwin says 'this could have been avoided'
Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag was fined and received a demerit point for vaping in the dressing room during an IPL match. The incident drew criticism, with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin advising Parag to maintain personal space for his actions due to his leadership role.
NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag has become a talking point after he was spotted vaping inside the dressing room during an IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings. On Thursday, Parag was fined 25 percent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. The incident has drawn criticism, with many advising him, as a young player and franchise leader, to set the right example for aspiring cricketers.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also weighed in on the issue, saying the situation could have been avoided. "I think this is totally a situation that could have been avoided. I want players not to get trapped in such things.
I don’t really want that for a young player, and this is a little sensitive, too. I think, on all quadrants, if we look at so many things, this could have been avoided," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. The breach occurred during the second innings of the match in Mullanpur, when Parag was seen vaping inside the dressing room during the live broadcast.
"Sometimes what happens is it’s a personal choice, but your personal choice should be in your personal space. If you do all this in public space, that can very well be avoided. All I would say is this: it's my small advice as an elder brother.