Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowler Digvesh Rathi found himself at the center of controversy during an IPL 2025 match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Rathi’s “notebook celebration” after dismissing PBKS opener Priyansh Arya drew sharp criticism from cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar and led to disciplinary action by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The incident occurred in the third over of PBKS’s chase of a 172-run target. Rathi dismissed Arya, who mistimed a pull shot, resulting in a catch by Shardul Thakur. Following the dismissal, Rathi mimicked writing in an imaginary notebook, a gesture reminiscent of West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams’ signature celebration. The act prompted an on-field warning from the umpire and later criticism from Gavaskar, who was on commentary.
Gavaskar expressed his disapproval, stating, “I can understand a celebration if the wicket comes after a boundary or six, but such gestures suggest you didn’t expect to get a wicket. It’s unnecessary and comes across as showing off.” He also referenced a similar incident involving Virat Kohli and Kesrick Williams in 2017, where Kohli responded with a dominant batting performance.
The BCCI fined Rathi 25% of his match fee and issued a demerit point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. Rathi accepted the penalty and admitted to the Level 1 offense under Article 2.5 of the Code.
Despite the early breakthrough, PBKS comfortably chased the target, with Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer leading the charge. The incident has sparked discussions about sportsmanship and the appropriateness of celebratory gestures in cricket.
