After Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s alleged video of vaping on a flight has gone viral on social media with former India legspinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan calling for strict action against him.
In the clip, Chahal travelling with the PBKS team with Shashank Singh seated next to him was allegedly using an e-cigarette.
Notably, the use and sale of e-cigarettes is banned in India. Earlier, Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag was fined 25 per cent of his match fees for vaping inside the dressing room in an IPL 2026 match against Punjab Kings.
Sivaramakrishnan said Chahal should be “behind bars” as vaping is banned in the country, also criticising BCCI’s decision to fine Parag only 25 per cent of his match fees.
“Vape is banned in India. Should be behind bars. What is the point in having Laws and not implementing them. 25% of match fees is peanuts. What if a regular person had done this, What would the action be?” Sivaramakrishnan wrote on X.
Earlier this week, the BCCI sent an eight-page set of guidelines to all 10 IPL teams, asking them to strictly follow the tournament’s Standard Operating Procedures. The board also clearly stated that the use of vapes is banned inside stadiums and team hotels during the IPL.
“Instances of vaping within dressing rooms and other restricted areas of tournament venues have been brought to BCCI’s attention. It is pertinent to note that vapes and electronic cigarettes is prohibited under applicable Indian Law. Any individual found engaging in such conduct within tournament premises is not only violating BCCI and IPL regulations but may also be committing a cognisable offence under the applicable statutory framework,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated in the document.
“Accordingly, the use of vapes, e-cigarettes, and all prohibited substances is strictly banned within all IPL tournament venues, including dressing rooms, dugouts, team hotels and practice facilities,” he added.
