1 week Ago By Firstpost
Digvesh Rathi has taken the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 by storm, taking seven wickets and helping Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) win three out of their five matches so far in his debut season. More than anything, Digvesh Rathi has made a name for himself with his fearless attitude and controversial wicket celebrations. LSG bought the Delhi-based leg-break bowler for Rs 30 lakh in the IPL 2025 and the decision has so far proved to be a masterstroke with LSG winning against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders.
They are currently at the fifth spot with six points. On Tuesday, Rathi was up against his idol Sunil Narine and it took him just two balls to get the West Indian legend out with a catch at long-off. Rathi followed up the wicket with his controversial celebration but with a little bit of twist.
While earlier Rathi had got into trouble for the ‘notebook celebration,’ he opted for a ‘writing on the floor’ celebration after Narine’s fall. One of the reasons to tweak his celebration could also be the fines levied on him by BCCI. Digvesh Rathi is fearless.
☠️ pic.twitter.com/eFHomjvscO Rathi had already been fined by BCCI on two occasions.
First, after he gave a ’notebook celebration’ send-off to PBKS batter Priyansh Arya and later after repeating it after dismissing Naman Dhir of Mumbai Indians. This time, however, it seems Rathi has dodged the bullet and BCCI has decided against punishing him again for the ‘writing on the floor’ celebration against KKR. After the PBKS game, Rathi was fined 25 per cent of his match fees and handed one demerit point.
He was fined 50 per cent of his match fees and handed two demerit points after the MI match. Earning one more demerit point could have led to a match suspension for Rathi, but it seems the BCCI has decided against punishing him this time. So far, there has been no official communication from the board.
Generally, decisions regarding demerit points are announced by the morning after the match. So far, Rathi has already accumulated three demerit points which could have gone to at least four if BCCI had punished him with even one more demerit point after controversially celebrating Narine’s wicket. A player is handed one suspension point after he accumulates four to seven demerit points.
Each suspension point results in to one-match ban. Rathi may still be handed one more demerit point. LSG’s next match is against Gujarat Titans on Saturday.
Meanwhile, former New Zealand bowler and IPL commentator Simon Doull has come out in support of Rathi and his celebrations, saying the senior players have escaped punishments despite doing “worse”. “The team have got to be paying that (the fines). I don’t like it.
I love the celebrations, I don’t think he has done anything at all wrong. I’ve seen senior Indian players do way worse, be in your face, and not get a fine. They are making an example out of a young man who is what, making a note in his notebook?” Doull said on Cricbuzz.
It will be interesting to see what new celebration style Rathi comes up with if he plays the GT match on 12 April..
