BCCI reacts to Gavaskar, Doull’s swipe over punishing Digvesh Rathi for 'notebook' celebration, tells umpires to...
Digvesh Rathi, who has been Lucknow Super Giants' second-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing IPL 2025, was punished twice for his 'notebook' celebration.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have taken action after facing the wrath of experts over their decision to penalise Lucknow Super Giants bowler Digvesh Rathi for his 'notebook' celebration. The breakaway spinner, who has been Lucknow's second-highest wicket-taker in the ongoing IPL 2025, was punished twice for his celebration.
Digvesh dished out the Kesrick Williams-style celebration for the first time in the match against Punjab Kings after he dismissed Priyansh Arya, with whom he had shared the dressing room in the inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League last year. BCCI took action against the bowler, as he was charged 25 per cent of his match fees as a fine and handed one demerit point.
Digvesh refused to learn from his mistake, and after dismissing Naman Dhir in the following game against Mumbai Indians, he emulated it again. He was fined again, this time 50 per cent of his match fees, and handed two demerit points.
BCCI's act, which left Digvesh on the verge of being suspended for a game had he pulled it off again, received criticism from experts like Sunil Gavaskar and Simon Doull. However, the Indian board reacted to the criticism as a Cricbuzz report revealed that the umpires have been asked to show leniency on player celebration.
"The umpires have also been asked to go a bit more lenient on player-celebration following the flak they received for penalising Lucknow Super Giants' Digvesh Rathi twice this season for his 'notebook' celebration," the report read.
What had Gavaskar and Doull said?
Taking to his column in Mid Day, Gavaskar had questioned BCCI's action in fining Digvesh, especially in the second game. He felt that while the bowler was rightly punished for his send-off to Arya, he should have been let go in the second game.
"The first time he did that was when he got the wicket of his Delhi teammate Priyansh Arya. He was rightly fined then because he ran right up to the batter who was leaving back for the dugout and did the notebook celebration standing bang next to him," Gavaskar wrote. "That was not only invading the batter's space but also giving him a send-off which is why he lost 25 per cent of his match fees. However, the next time he did that he was nowhere near the batter, and so it was a surprise that he was fined then. He wasn't in the batter's space or face and so shouldn't have been fined."
Doull also voiced his discontent over the treatment meted out to Digvesh.
"The team have got to be paying that (the fines). I don't like it. I love the celebrations, I don't think he has done anything at all wrong. I've seen senior Indian players do way worse, be in your face, and not get a fine. They are making an example out of a young man who is what, making a note in his notebook?" the former New Zealand cricketer had said on Cricbuzz.
