"Cricket isn't far away from its Monica Seles moment": Aakash Chopra's big warning on IPL pitch invasions

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra slammed a media outlet for publishing an unverified report about Riyan Parag after the IPL 2025 clash between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Guwahati. Chopra was disappointed with the frequency of pitch invasions increasing.

The IPL 2025 witnessed its second security breach when a fan ran onto the field to meet Rajasthan Royals' all-rounder Riyan Parag at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, March 26. The fan managed to touch Parag’s feet and hug him before being escorted away by security officials.

Aakash Chopra Criticizes ‘New Low’ in Journalism Over Riyan Parag Story

A media outlet made a shocking claim that Riyan Parag had paid a fan ₹10,000 to storm the field and touch his feet. Aakash Chopra took to X to criticize the publication and shared a screenshot of the article.

Chopra pointed out that the headline was sensational, yet the report provided no evidence to support the allegation. He emphasized that such misleading content was coming from a mainstream media house.

"Stumbled upon this article…Headline is explosive, obviously. But there’s nothing mentioned in the article about how they figured out that Riyan paid a fan to touch his feet. NOTHING at all. In the world of click-bait journalism, this is a new low. And this is mainstream media, btw," Chopra wrote.

If This Continues to Happen, Cricket Isn’t Far Away From... - Aakash Chopra

A fan questioned Aakash Chopra about the increasing frequency of pitch invasions during the IPL, which highlights concerns over security.

Responding to the query, Chopra condemned the incidents. He warned that if such breaches continued, cricket could face a tragic moment similar to the infamous attack on tennis star Monica Seles.

"Ohhh yes. This must STOP. If this continues to happen, Cricket isn’t far away from its ‘Monica Seles’ moment. Should be taken SERIOUSLY," Chopra replied.

Ohhh yes. This must STOP. If this continues to happen, Cricket isn’t far away from its ‘Monica Seles’ moment. Should be taken SERIOUSLY. https://t.co/ttPx9Zu7eO

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) March 28, 2025

Security breaches have become increasingly frequent in both international cricket and the Indian Premier League. A similar incident took place during the IPL 2025 opener between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where a fan breached security to approach Virat Kohli.

Rajasthan Royals Suffer Back-to-Back Defeats in IPL 2025

Rajasthan Royals have endured a tough start to their IPL 2025 campaign. They suffered consecutive losses against SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite conceding 286 runs against SRH, the inaugural IPL champions put up a commendable fight with the bat before losing by 44 runs.

However, their batting lineup faltered against Kolkata Knight Riders. They posted only a modest total, with Dhruv Jurel as the top scorer with 33 runs. Riyan Parag has managed just 29 runs with the bat in two outings, raising concerns over whether the leadership responsibilities are affecting his performance.

Rajasthan Royals will aim to bounce back from their poor start when they take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Guwahati on Sunday, March 30.

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