BCCI takes action against LSG's Digvesh Rathi for controversial 'notebook' send-off to Priyansh Arya

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

Digvesh Rathi of the Lucknow Super Giants was disciplined severely by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during Tuesday's match against the Punjab Kings at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

Rathi was given a one demerit point and fined 25% of his match fees for his animated notebook celebration following the dismissal of young PBKS batsman Priyansh Arya.

BCCI said in a statement after the match: "Digvesh Singh, bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 percent of his match fees and has also accumulated one Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday."

Rathi accepted the match referee's sentence, which is final and binding in cases of Level 1 violations, and acknowledged committing the Level 1 offense under Article 2.5.

The penultimate ball of the third over of the PBKS chase was where it all happened. Rathi delivered a wide, short delivery to Arya. With little foot movement, the left-hander attempted the pull shot and ultimately top-edged the ball. Shardul Thakur rushed from mid-on to take the catch.

#DigveshRathi provides the breakthrough as #PriyanshArya heads back!P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end! Watch LIVE action of #LSGvPBKS https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv#IPLOnJiostar | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar! | #IndianPossibleLeague pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n
Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 1, 2025

His Delhi T20 League teammate Rathi approached Arya as he was on his way back to the pavilion for eight runs off nine balls and pretended to be writing his name in a fictitious notepad. The umpires decided to speak with Rathi after noticing it.

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar did not take kindly to Rathi’s celebration and said on air: "I can understand the celebration if the wicket comes after the batsman hit a boundary or a six in the previous ball. As a bowler, you've got six deliveries. So if you got five dot balls and get a wicket of the sixth, then you do something like that, it's not understandable. But all these gestures mean that you don't expect to get a wicket. And now that you've got a wicket, you're trying to, you know, show off."