BCCI takes strict action against LSG bowler Digvesh Singh Rathi for distasteful notebook send-off to Priyansh Arya

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took strict action against Lucknow Super Giants bowler Digvesh Singh Rathi for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during the match against Punjab Kings at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh was fined 25 per cent of his match fees and slapped with one demerit point for his animated notebook celebration after dismissing young PBKS batter Priyansh Arya. Digvesh Singh Rathi giving a notebook send-off to Priyansh Arya during LSG vs PBKS IPL 2025 match(IPL)

"Digvesh Singh, bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday," BCCI said in a statement after the LSG vs PBKS match.

Digvesh Singh Rathi admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the match referee’s sanction.l, which is final and binding in case of Level 1 breaches.

What was Digvesh Singh's offence?

It all transpired in penultimate ball of the third over of the PBKS chase. Digvesh dished out a short and wide delivery to Arya. The left-hander went for the pull shot without much foot movement and ended up top-edging the ball. Shardul Thakur ran from mind on and took a sharp catch.

As Arya walked back to the pavilion for 8 off 9 balls, Digvesh, his teammate in the Delhi T20 League, walked up to him and acted like he was writing his name in an imaginary notebook. The umpires took note of it and decided to have a word with Digvesh. The celebration immediately reminded fans and experts of West Indies fast bowler Kesrick Williams who made the celebration his signature after dismissing opposition batters.

The right-arm pacer famously brought out the notebook celebration after dismissing then-India captain Virat Kohli during a bilateral series in 2019, only to be taught a lesson by the great batter in the next match.

Digvesh's celebration was not received well by legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar. "I can understand the celebration if the wicket comes after the batsman hit a boundary or a six in the previous ball. As a bowler, you've got six deliveries. So if you got five dot balls and get a wicket of the sixth, then you do something like that, it's not understandable. 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," he said on commentary.

Digvesh was the lone bright in an otherwise disappointing show by the LSG bowlers. The leg-spinner picked up two wickets for 30 runs in his four overs, while none of the other LSG bowlers could create an impression. PBKS reached the 173-run target in just 16.2 overs courtesy of fiery half-centuries from opener Prabhsimran Singh (69 off 34 balls) and captain Shreyas Iyer (52* off 30 balls).

The win took PBKS to the second spot in the IPL 2025 points table. PBKS, RCB, and DC are currently tied at four points each after winning their first two matches, respectively.

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