In IPL 2025, the mystery spinner of Lucknow Supergiants is in the news due to his bowling and way of celebrating. In the match played against Punjab Kings, when Digvesh dismissed Priyansh Arya, he sent a notebook sandoff, which is a famous style of West Indies fast bowler Kacarik Williams. The matter immediately went viral and he was also fined. But Delhi’s 25 -year -old Digvesh Rathi played an important role in winning the team by performing brilliantly in two consecutive matches for Lucknow Super Giants. There was a time when he failed to make it to Delhi’s Under-19 team. After this, his right collarbone was fractured. It seemed that his career was over, but the way he returned is a commendable compliment.
The roof of the house made the ground
After recovering from the injury, Digvesh Rathi built a small gym on his roof. At the same time, he developed the skill of carrom ball, googly and seam-up delivery. He bowled continuously for 6-7 hours on the same stump. So that he can bowl at the same place in one place. Digvesh Rathi’s coach Sachin Shukla says that hard work beats talent, and Digvesh Rathi is a living example of this. LSG’s mystery spinner Rathi has caught everyone’s attention in IPL 2025 with his affordable bowling and unique celebration. He has taken 8 wickets in 6 matches and his economy rate is 7.70. He has also been punished twice for his “notebook” celebrations. Sachin Shukla, coach of Delhi -based Dronacharya Cricket Academy, said that when Digvesh came to our academy for the first time around 2017, he used to bowl off -spin with a common off -spin action. He was then 17 years old and took about 40 wickets in 14 matches for our club Delhi Blues in his first year.
Digvesh was disappointed at not selected in under-19
Rathi’s coach told that Digvesh has now become a different type of bowler. During the run-up, he hides the ball behind his back and bowls at a fast pace. It is very difficult to read his carrom ball, because he also uses almost the same grip for googly. In the match against Mumbai Indians, he dismissed Naman Dhir like this. Sachin Shukla told that Digvesh was very sad due to lack of selection in Delhi’s Under-19 team. He came to me close to the afternoon. I asked what happened? He said, ‘Brother, there was no selection. After this, Rathi suffered another big shock, which was about to end his career. Sachin said that while fielding in a match, Rathi’s right collarbone (shoulder bone) fractured. But Rathi did not give up, and started working hard. During this time he realized that it is not easy to prove himself different as a common off -spinner. So around 2020, he decided to add “mystery” in his bowling.
Mystery spinner made of common spinner
Digvesh Rathi has been a fan of West Indies all -rounder Sunil Naren since the beginning. He used Naren’s photo on Facebook and WhatsApp as his profile picture. Rathi’s coach told that Digvesh also started adopting Naren’s bowling style. When cricket stopped completely during Kovid-19, Rathi started working on his fitness. Shukla told that many people had excuses during Kovid, but not with Rathi. He made a small gym on his roof. He was already fit but became even more fit. As soon as cricket started again, he used to bowl for hours in the nets.
Justin Langer is crazy about Rathi’s bowling
After the match against Mumbai Indians in Lucknow, LSG head coach Justin Langer praised Rathi’s bowling and said that if he gets to bowl 16 hours a day, he would bowl for 16 hours. Rathi’s coach said that I had seen all this first. He said that I have seen many obsessive players, but the hard work that Digvesh did to become a mystery spinner was of a completely different level. He used to bowl at a stump continuously for six-seven hours. Many times the wicketkeeper used to say that it is tired, but Digvesh was never tired. The same situation is still there today.
Delhi Capitals chose as net bowler in 2022
Those long hours spent in the nets helped Digvesh in developing his carrom ball, googly and seam-up delivery. The fruits of this hard work were also found. In IPL 2022 and 2023, Delhi Capitals (DC) chose him as a net bowler. Last year, Rathi was also in the same role with Kolkata Knight Riders. Here he got a chance to learn from his ideal Sunil Naren. Meanwhile, when the BCI got the CK Naidu Trophy under-23 instead of Under-23, he also got a chance to play for Delhi. During this, he also adopted the signature celebration styles of Vanindu Hasranga and Kesaric Williams.
Delhi Premier League scattered
Digvesh Rathi was now waiting for the big stage. This platform was found in the first Delhi Premier League in 2024. Where he was chosen by South Delhi Superstars. But some new challenges also came with this platform. Team director of South Delhi Superstars and former India -off -spinner Sarandeep Singh said that he had never bowled with Kababura ball before. Apart from this, he was bowling a lot. We advised him to put a little slowly, especially in front of the new batsman so that the ball gets more chance to turn. We told him that you are a wicket -taking bowler. Even if two sixes are hit in an over, then try to take wickets. He did exactly the same. Rathi soon improved and emerged as the fourth highest wicket -taker with 14 wickets in 10 matches in the Delhi Premier League.
Sarandeep, who is also the coach of Delhi’s home team, told Rathi that as he is practicing till now, keep doing the same. Two months later, Rathi was selected for Delhi’s senior team in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He was in the team as a backup of Suyash Sharma and got a chance to play in only two matches which was against Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. He took 3 wickets in these two matches. But before that LSG bought him in the mega auction of IPL 2025. Now he has become a trusted spinner of the team and has done better than India’s legspinner Ravi Bishnoi.
Out of the 144 balls of Rathi in the first 6 matches, 49 have been dot balls. In spinners, only Varun Chakraborty, who is another ideal of Rathi, has put more dot balls in this season (49 balls 114). Sarandeep told that I recently talked to Rathi and told him that he had brought his hard work here, and he will have to work hard like this. He said that Rathi is not one of those players who have come through the Under-19, Under-23 or Ranji Trophy. Till last year, he was playing in the corporate leagues. Then suddenly there was a Delhi premiere league, then debut from Delhi and now IPL is playing. So the more he bowls, the better his bowling will be considered better. He said that I think he is on the right path. Does good training, and bowling openly.
Priyansh and Digvesh are good friends
Rathi’s calm and slightly shy nature also reflects in that video shared by LSG. In this, he is meeting Sunil Naren. But then what is the celebrations that have been fined them and three demerit points? In a match against Punjab Kings, he also made physical contact after dismissing batsman Priyansh Arya. Rathi’s coach Ajay Shukla told that Priyansh and Digvesh are actually very good friends. Both of them played for the same team in the Delhi Premier League, and that celebrations were simply joking. Digvesh has been doing this celebration for a long time. I often tell him that someone makes his separate celebration, but he says, ‘Brother, let it go now.