Lucknow Super Giants’ latest spin sensation, Digvesh Rathi, once again made his mark with a brilliant spell of bowling, taking two wickets in his allotted four overs against Punjab Kings while conceding runs at a rate of 7.50 when others gave away runs at more than 9.30 per over. Despite his best efforts with the ball, PBKS won the game by chasing down the target of 172 inside 17 overs to record their second successive win.
Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, and Ravi Bishnoi—all three bowlers were taken apart by the Punjab Kings’ batting trio of Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, and Nehal Wadhera. These Indian internationals, with experience at the highest level, struggled as PBKS’s batters dominated. This is where the uncapped Digvesh outshone his senior teammates. The leg-spinner bowled with great heart and courage, effectively using his variations.
For the second consecutive game, Digvesh has outperformed the senior pro, Bishnoi.
Digvesh and the art of spin bowling
What makes him tough to face is that, like Sunil Narine, he hides the ball until the very last moment. His quick arm speed and grip variations make him a challenge for batters. The Delhi-based cricketer deceives opponents with bounce and subtle changes in flight, making him difficult to read. With five wickets in three games, Digvesh already finds himself among the top 10 wicket-takers this season.
Digvesh is improving game by game, and if he continues to bowl like this, it’s only a matter of time before he gets closer to a national call-up.