BCCI 'asks umpires to be lenient' after Sunil Gavaskar, Simon Doull slam Digvesh Rathi's fine on ‘notebook’ celebration

Digvesh Rathi celebrates Priyansh Arya's wicket with an animated send-off

After receiving criticism from experts for penalising Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi for his "notebook" celebration, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has taken action. The spinner, who has taken the second-most wickets for Lucknow in IPL 2025, received two penalties for his controversial celebration, which has generated quiet a buzz.

After dismissing Priyansh Arya, with whom Rathi has shared the dressing room in the first season of Delhi Premier League, the LSG bowler broke out in a Kesrick Williams-esque celebration for the first time in the tournament. Subsequently the bowler was handed one demerit point and an additional fine of 25 percent from his match fees by the BCCI.

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Refusing to learn from the previous instance, Rathi went to repeat it against Mumbai Indians after dismissing Naman Dhir. This saw him receive two demerit points and a fine of 50 percent from his match fees by the BCCI.

Experts such as Sunil Gavaskar and former New Zealand quick Simon Doull were critical of BCCI's action. As per a report in Cricbuzz, the Indian board has responded to the criticism.

The report stated that "the umpires have 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."

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Gavaskar had questioned the BCCI's decision to fine Digvesh, particularly in the second game, in his column for Mid Day. He believed that the bowler should have been let go in the second game, even if he was rightfully penalized for his dismissal to Arya.

"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 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."

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Doull also expressed his displeasure with Digvesh's treatment. "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.