Digvesh Rathi, the Lucknow Super Giants spinner, sure knows how to stay in the news even though he is being talked about for his stellar cricket in IPL 2025.
The 25-year-old Digvesh Rathi from Delhi had been penalised after his now-famous notebook celebration during LSG’s game against Punjab Kings when he dismissed fellow Delhi cricketer Priyansh Arya. He got away with one demerit point then and a 25 percent reduction in his match fee.
Days later, Rathi repeated his notebook celebration against Mumbai Indians after dismissing Naman Dheer. This time he was docked 50 per cent of his match fee and clocked two demerit points. In all, Rathi has been fined Rs 5,62,500 already.
Before the game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Tuesday, Rathi said Sunil Narine was his idol and when asked by Nicholas Pooran on why he celebrates that way – Rathi said he did so because he is from Delhi.
After dismissing Narine in a high-scoring contest at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday, Digvesh Rathi remained defiant despite the fine and the demerit points and repeated his notebook celebration, this time pretending to scribble something on the pitch.
Sunil Gavaskar, who was on commentary duty for JioHotstar during Rathi’s first notebook celebration controversy, did not find it funny: “But all these gestures mean that you don’t expect to get a wicket. And now that you’ve got a wicket, you’re trying to, you know, show off. We know what Kohli did after that. He hit him for a boundary after boundary after boundary.”
