It is hard to be a spinner, especially a leg-spinner, in a batting cauldron that is the Indian Premier League (IPL). But then there are some great talents like Digvesh Rathi, who startled everyone with a superb maiden season. Bought for just Rs 30 lac by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rathi instantly made an impact before even outshining former world number one T20I leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi.
However, Rathi just didn’t make headlines during IPL 2025 for his wickets. It was his celebrations that were fascinating to witness, too. His now-famous “notebook celebration”, where he mimics jotting down a batter’s name, was deemed provocative by match officials. He was fined twice: first, 25% of his match fee for celebrating after dismissing Priyansh Arya, and then 50% for repeating it against MI’s Naman Dhir. The total fines amounted to ₹9.37 lakh.
According to reports, even his own IPL captain, Rishabh Pant, tried to dissuade him from celebrating that way to avoid further penalties or even a possible suspension. At one point, it seemed like LSG fielders were subconsciously denying him wickets to avoid the entire saga.
Notebook or no? Badoni backs Rathi’s celebration
However, at the DPL 2025 auction, South Delhi Superstarz captain Ayush Badoni made it clear: Digvesh Rathi can celebrate the way he wants. When asked by InsideSport whether he would ask Rathi to tone down his trademark “notebook” celebration, especially after warnings and fines during IPL 2025, Badoni was very clear and unfazed.
“Main nahi rokunga. Uska jo mann hai woh karega. But Digvesh Rathi ek match-winner hai as a bowler. So, hume (South Delhi Superstarz) uske liye jana hi tha. And I think he’ll deliver for us. (“I won’t stop him (from celebrating). He can celebrate the way he likes. Digvesh Rathi is a match-winner as a bowler. So, that is why we always wanted him, and I think he’ll deliver for us,”) said Badoni while answering InsideSport’s query.
South Delhi Superstarz, who reached the finals last year, went hammer and tongs for Digvesh Rathi. The leg-spinner represented the Shikhar Dhawan-co-owned franchise previously too. He did well, taking 10 wickets at an economy of 7.83. At the DPL auction, South Delhi bagged his services for Rs 38 lac, making him the second-most expensive player in the league after Simarjeet Singh (Rs 39 lac to Central Delhi Kings).
Digvesh Rathi DPL & IPL stats
| Tournament | Team | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) | 14 | 13 | 8.25 | 22.00 |
| DPL 2024 | South Delhi Superstarz (SDS) | 14 | 10 | 7.83 | 16.00 |
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