Analysis: Celebrations Plus Violations Equals Digvish’s Controversy
The spotlight this season has been on LSG’s (Lucknow Super Giants) spinner Digvesh Rathi. He has been one of the best performers throughout IPL 2025. Regardless, his over-the-top enthusiasm on the field has repeatedly gotten him into trouble. He is famously known for his aggressive “notebook celebration,” which came after every wicket he took. His exceptional performances have made him a household name, and LSG fans love him to the extent that he has caused a frenzy, and quite instantly he became their go-to bowler. While it has put him in the good books of fans, it has drawn the wrath of match officials and the BCCI, leading to punishment for Rathi after ignoring IPL’s Code of Conduct several times.
The Incident: All-Out Animosity Towards Abhishek Sharma
Digvesh Rathi’s last straw came during LSG’s duel with Sunrisers on Hyderabad at Lucknow’s Ekana Cricket Stadium. Rathi’s encore celebration after removing SRH’s opener Abhishek Sharma inflamed Sharma beyond his limits. Both players were quick to swap slurs, which was thankfully halted only by teams rushing in to break it all up. This temperamental exchange of words is what got Rathi his third Code of Conduct violation for this season. This warranted strict action from IPL authorities.
BCCI’s Disciplinary Action: Suspension and Fines
As a result of that incident, the BCCI imposed on Digvesh Rathi a one-match suspension and a fine of 50% of his match fee. This marked Rathi’s third Level 1 infraction, as Rathi provoked a dismissed batter’s anger by being ‘visibly agitated in IPL Code of Conduct 2.5,’ which has to do with actions that trigger negative (and aggressive) responses by removed batters. Before this, he had already stacked three demerit points for similar infractions—one was against Punjab Kings on Apr 1, and the other two were against Mumbai Indians on Apr 4. The most recent incident, which added two additional demerits, brought his total to five demerit points, which is what earned him the suspension.
Consequences for LSG: Missing a Necessary Game
Aside from these factors already setting Rathi up for headaches, LSG is even worse off, as this means Rathi will also miss the match against Gujarat Titans on May 22, 2025, in Ahmedabad. His absence in the match would also be quite the problem for the franchise, seeing as they’ve already been knocked out of playoff contention because of their loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. The lack of a bowler of Rathi’s caliber means that the impact of disciplinary issues on the team on primary problems can be quite large, which is especially true in fiercely contested tournaments such as the IPL.
Abhishek Sharma Also Penalized
The aftermath of the brawl wasn’t confined only to Rathi. SRH opener Abhishek Sharma was also fined 25% of his game pay and received one demerit point for his part in the scuffle. This was deemed as Sharma’s first Level 1 offense coming under Article 2.6 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to any form of aggressive physical contact or violence. The BCCI has once again stated that in these types of situations, the match referee’s ruling is the only one that counts.
Wider Implications: IPL’s Stance on Player Conduct
The numerous infringements of the unsportsmanlike conduct rule by Digvesh Rathi and the resulting disciplinary measure clearly show the IPL does not tolerate bad behavior from players. As the tournament continues to gain prominence among international viewers and fans, enforcing rules of conduct is vital. In this case, the response from the BCCI acts like a notice towards all the players regarding the spirit of the game and the presence of repeated infringements. In effect, this gives a chance to young cricketers and even fans to grab a glimpse of what it means to control your passion and professionalism on the cricketing stage.
