The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly advised match officials to adopt a more lenient approach in response to the fines imposed on Lucknow Super Giants‘ spinner Digvesh Rathi for his ‘notebook’ celebration during the IPL 2025 season. This directive comes after prominent cricket figures, including Sunil Gavaskar and Simon Doull, criticized the penalties as excessive.
Rathi first received a fine after celebrating the dismissal of Punjab Kings’ Priyansh Arya by mimicking a ‘notebook’ gesture near the departing batter. Sunil Gavaskar commented on the incident, stating, “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. 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, Rathi was fined again for a similar celebration after dismissing Mumbai Indians’ Naman Dhir, even though he maintained a distance from the batter. Gavaskar expressed surprise at this penalty, noting, “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.”
Simon Doull also weighed in on the matter, defending Rathi’s actions: “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?”
In light of these criticisms, the BCCI has advised umpires to consider the context and intent behind such celebrations before imposing penalties. This move aims to ensure that players are not unduly penalized for expressive yet non-confrontational celebrations, preserving the spirit of the game while maintaining discipline.
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
