In his debut season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi has garnered attention not just for his performances on the field, but also for his unique and controversial style of celebrating wickets — a gesture resembling writing in a notebook. While Rathi has impressed with his bowling, his celebration has sparked disciplinary actions from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Repeated Celebration Costs Rathi Match Fees

The incident first gained attention during a match against Punjab Kings, where Digvesh Rathi dismissed Priyansh Arya and then performed his now-signature notebook celebration. However, the act took an aggressive turn as he made shoulder contact with the batter, prompting the BCCI to impose a 25% fine on his match fee and add 1 demerit point to his disciplinary record.

Despite the warning, Rathi repeated the celebration during a later match against Mumbai Indians, this time after dismissing Naman Dheer. While he avoided physical contact with the batter, the BCCI found the repeated celebration in violation of the league’s code of conduct and imposed a 50% match fee fine and 2 additional demerit points.

Financial Penalty Breakdown

Digvesh Rathi, who was signed by Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction for ₹30 lakh, earns an additional ₹7.5 lakh per match as part of his match fee. Due to his disciplinary breaches:

• He was fined ₹1.87 lakh for the Punjab Kings match.
• He was fined ₹3.75 lakh for the Mumbai Indians match.

These fines are deducted from his match fees and do not affect his overall contract value from the auction.

BCCI’s Message is Clear

The BCCI has made it clear that while players are encouraged to celebrate, it must be done within the spirit of the game. Any act deemed provocative, disrespectful, or repeated after warnings is subject to strict penalties. With 3 demerit points already on record, Digvesh Rathi now faces the possibility of further sanctions if he repeats this behavior again.

Rising Star with a Warning

Digvesh Rathi’s performance on the field has marked him as a promising talent, but with mounting fines and disciplinary points, he must now walk a fine line. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether the young spinner will adapt his behavior or continue to challenge the norms of celebration in IPL cricket.