The “notebook” celebration was on full display as Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi marked the wicket of Sai Sudharsan in style against the Gujarat Titans during an Indian Premier League match on Sunday. With the IPL set to begin its 19th season shortly, the 26-year-old has made it clear he intends to keep his personality and trademark antics in the spotlight, even after last year’s punishment. Rathi had been fined repeatedly and also served a one-game suspension for exuberant celebrations, but the way he went about it this time suggested he has taken note of what the league’s disciplinary system demands.
Rathi’s discipline issues from the previous campaign came in three separate instances. First, he received a fine equivalent to 25% of his match fee, before being hit again with a 50% deduction. For his third breach, he was penalised at the same 50% level and also handed a one-match ban. In Sunday’s game, the celebration appeared more restrained than before, hinting that the earlier charges may have nudged him toward a toned-down version of the same enthusiasm.
Rathi’s celebrations had also drawn attention during the IPL 2025 season, when he earned the spotlight for a more animated routine. That moment involved him effectively looking directly at the batter before continuing with his act. However, against Gujarat on Sunday, the sequence played out differently—Rathi’s focus shifted to the dismissal itself. After Avesh Khan took the catch that sent Sudharsan back, Rathi was seen signing on the ground as part of the celebration, turning the wicket into a moment of showmanship.
On the bowling front, Rathi delivered a short, long-hop ball down the leg side. Sudharsan, rather than steering it away, scooped it straight to the fielder stationed at third fine, allowing the catch to be taken comfortably by Avesh. The dismissal followed quickly, and it was another reminder of how small margins in T20 cricket can decide the outcome of an over.
Beyond the match itself, Rathi’s situation carries an extra layer of pressure due to the league’s demerit-point regulations. Under the official framework, demerit points on a player’s record stay on file for 36 months. Rathi had accumulated five demerit points last season, and this campaign he will need to be careful: reaching eight demerit points leads to a two-match suspension, while hitting 11 points results in a three-match ban.
The game’s flow began with Gujarat winning the toss and choosing to bowl against Lucknow. Prasidh Krishna then delivered a decisive spell, finishing with figures of 4/28 as he helped keep the hosts to 164/8 in their 20 overs. Prasidh struck at key moments, dismissing Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, and Mukul Choudhary, and his impact was enough to propel him to the top of the Purple Cap standings.
Chasing the target, Gujarat Titans relied on Shubman Gill and Jos Buttler to set the tone. Both openers played aggressively enough to reach half-centuries in the pursuit, steering their innings forward as Lucknow searched for breakthroughs to get back into the contest.
