Screengrab from a video showing Riyan Parag taking a selfie with stadium ground staff after a match against CSK.
Credit: X/@ChekrishnaCk
Rajasthan Royals (RR) stand-in skipper captain Riyan Parag's lacklustre start to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season may have just gotten a lot worse, with the Assam-born cricketer facing the wrath of the internet for throwing a phone.
After guiding RR to its first win of the IPL 2025 season against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, Parag became the target of the internet while taking a selfie with the ground staff of the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
The video of Parag taking a selfie with the staff, which has since gone viral, shows the RR stand-in skipper clicking a selfie with one of the staff members' phones.
Having clicked the photo, Parag, instead of returning the phone, throws it at the ground staff, who catch it.
While Parag's intention behind throwing the phone and not merely returning it is unclear, it drew the ire of social media users, with many flagging what they perceived as a display of 'unnecessary attitude'.
As the video went viral, users suggested that Parag was displaying an attitude despite performing poorly this season: the 23--year-old who was made RR's stand-in captain for the first three matches (regular skipper Sanju Samson is recovering from a finger injury), thus far, has managed 37 runs in three matches.
"What a reckless behaviour by Riyan Parag," wrote one user, while others suggested he had much to learn, both as a player and as a human being.
"Self Acclaimed World’s No.1 Cricketer. Most Arrogant - Most Rude Player I Have Ever Seen (sic)," wrote another user.
If getting targetted online for his behaviour was not enough, Parag was also fined Rs 12 lakh for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match.
"Riyan Parag, Captain, Rajasthan Royals has been fined after his team maintained a slow over-rate during Match 11 of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Chennai Super Kings at the ACA Stadium, Guwahati on 30th March, 2025," the IPL said, adding, "As this was his team's first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL's Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate offences, Parag was fined INR 12 lakhs."
Parag is the second leader to be fined in IPL 2025, with Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya being fined earlier for slow over-rate during their match against Gujarat Titans.