Abhishek Mishra in Lucknow
The Indian Premier League 2025 has seen a lot of new faces making their mark in this season and one name that has stood out is Digvesh Singh Rathi. The 25-year-old mystery spinner from Delhi, known for his long hair and deceptive action, where he hides the ball before releasing it, has quickly impressed everyone with his spin bowling this season.
He made an immediate impact in his debut IPL match, delivering a good performance and picking up two crucial wickets against Delhi Capitals in a high-scoring thriller. But it was the match against Punjab Kings where Digvesh grabbed the eyeballs of cricket fans. In front of a packed Lucknow crowd, he dismissed PBKS batter Priyansh Arya and celebrated it with his signature “notebook” style celebration. However, the celebration was deemed offensive and he was fined for it.
On that night, Digvesh was the only bowler from the Lucknow Super
Giants who took wickets while the rest of the bowlers went wicketless. It was a statement performance by Rathi that announced his arrival on the grand stage of the IPL.
From the local grounds of Delhi to the IPL.
Digvesh was born on 15 December, 1999 in Delhi, a city known for its rich cricketing culture and fierce local rivalries. Digvesh carved his own path in a place that has produced some of India’s finest players. He didn’t have early fame or access to top academies.
Instead, he quietly put in the hard work, stayed focused, and kept improving — one step at a time.
Digvesh started his cricket journey in 2017 through local league matches. Though he didn’t get instant fame, his smart bowling and hard work made him a reliable player in the state. He often stayed back after practice to work on his skills. He mastered a few variations by watching the videos of top spinners like Wanidu Hansranga and Sunil Narine. Those videos helped him a lot and Digvesh started putting in extra effort to master bowling angles and conceal the ball before release, and he quickly developed a smooth action that gave him an edge in his journey.
The breakthrough moment for Digvesh came in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2024 where he represented South Delhi Superstarz under the captaincy of his IPL mate Ayush Badoni. Digvesh claimed 14 wickets in 10 matches and finished as the fifth highest wicket-taker with an impressive economy of 7.83.
Digvesh was Badoni’s trump-card throughout the season, and whenever he needed a wicket, he gave the ball to Digvesh and he provided a breakthrough. His ability to extract bounce, deceive the batter with flight and picking up timely wickets made him a standout performer. More than the numbers, what impressed everyone was his ability to stay composed under pressure and read the batters well and bowl accordingly .
Rathi’s impressive run in the DPL didn’t go unnoticed, as his consistency eventually paved the way for his domestic debut. Just ahead of the IPL auction, He featured in two matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, claiming 3 wickets while maintaining an impressive average and economy rate. His performances throughout the DPL had already caught the attention of IPL scouts, earning him a spot on the shortlist for the upcoming mega auction.
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At the mega auction in Jeddah, ahead of IPL 2025, he was picked by LSG for ₹30 lakhs — and that’s where everything changed for him. He now had a golden opportunity to showcase his talent on the biggest stage.
During LSG’s preparatory camp, in an intra-squad practice match, Digvesh dismissed Nicholas
Pooran in his very first over. That breakthrough caught the attention of the team management and things started falling into place. Rathi made his IPL debut in Vizag against the Delhi Capitals, where he delivered a promising performance, taking two crucial wickets of Axar Patel and Vipraj Nigam. Although LSG lost the match, he had already made his mark.
He truly came into the limelight during LSG’s first home game, where he picked up two
wickets against PBKS. His ‘notebook-style’ celebration after the wickets went viral
but also earned him a fine. Rathi’s standout moment came against the Mumbai Indians,
where he was awarded his first Man of the Match. He bowled brilliantly, taking the key wicket
of the dangerous Naman Dhir, completing his four-over spell with a stellar economy rate
of 5.2, especially notable on a night when every other LSG bowler conceded 10+ runs per
Over.
Digvesh’s showing in the 2025 IPL season
Digvesh has picked up 6 wickets in four outings, with an impressive average of 20.33
and an economy rate of 7.63. He has quickly become one of the most reliable bowlers for
LSG. He is improving with each game, and if he continues to bowl with this level of consistency, a call-up to the national camp might not be too far away.
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