Digvesh Rathi Risks BCCI Wrath with Notebook Celebration After Dismissing Narine

Defiant and undeterred, Digvesh Rathi once again grabbed the spotlight not just with the ball, but with his bold antics. Despite repeated fines and warnings from the BCCI, the Lucknow Super Giants spinner showed no signs of backing down. In IPL 2025’s high-voltage clash at Eden Gardens on Tuesday, Rathi risked a possible ban by unveiling a fresh twist to his infamous "notebook celebration" after dismissing Kolkata Knight Riders’ explosive opener, Sunil Narine. His rebellious gesture reignited debate around on-field conduct, raising eyebrows across the cricketing world.

Chasing a massive target of 239, KKR began their innings with a blistering start, thanks to the aggressive opening partnership between Sunil Narine and Quinton de Kock. Although de Kock was dismissed early after a quickfire 15 off 9 balls, Narine, joined by skipper Ajinkya Rahane, kept the momentum going, hammering the LSG bowlers as the scoreboard surged to 90 for 1 within the powerplay. With his pace attack struggling to contain the onslaught, LSG captain Rishabh Pant turned to his most reliable spinner of the season, Digvesh Singh Rathi, hoping to shift the tide.

The leg-spinner made an immediate impact, striking with just his second delivery. He cleverly tossed a wide googly, forcing Sunil Narine to stretch and create his own power — a challenge the KKR veteran couldn't meet, resulting in a straightforward catch at long-off. As Narine began his walk back to the pavilion, Digvesh Rathi dropped jaws with a bold celebration, signing his name on the turf. While he didn’t approach the batter or utter a word, the flamboyant gesture may cost him dearly, as the spinner is now just one demerit point short of facing a ban.

Interestingly, Sunil Narine is the very cricketer who inspired Digvesh Rathi to take up spin bowling in the first place. The irony of dismissing his idol — and celebrating in such dramatic fashion — adds another layer to the already fiery encounter.

Digvesh Rathi is on the verge of a one-match ban after receiving his fourth demerit point for repeating his controversial "notebook celebration" in IPL 2025. Despite previous fines and warnings, including penalties for similar actions against Priyansh Arya and Naman Dhir, Rathi celebrated again after dismissing Sunil Narine, violating Article 2.5 of the IPL Code of Conduct. Under league rules, four demerit points within 36 months trigger a suspension, leaving Rathi with no room for further misconduct.