Digvesh Rathi Reveals the Story Behind His Famous ‘Notebook’ Celebration: Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) rising star and leg-spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi has grabbed headlines not only for his stellar bowling performance this IPL season but also for his unique on-field gesture, the now-iconic “notebook” celebration. As LSG prepares for their final league match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Rathi has opened up about the origin and meaning of the celebration that has become both popular and controversial.
The 25-year-old spinner has emerged as LSG’s leading wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 12 games, playing a key role in the team’s bowling attack. But what truly sets him apart on the field is his theatrical celebration after dismissing batters, mimicking the act of writing in an imaginary notebook, as if striking off a name.
While fans quickly embraced the flair and confidence that came with this gesture, the IPL authorities took a different view. The celebration, considered unsportsmanlike by match officials, led to Rathi being penalized multiple times for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct.
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Digvesh Rathi Reveals the Story Behind His Famous ‘Notebook’ Celebration – A Personal Ritual Turned IPL Sensation
In a video recently posted by the Lucknow Super Giants on their official social media accounts, Digvesh Rathi finally explained the personal story behind the celebration. “Start yeh hai ki, jab bhi koi tournament hota hai, main notebook leke jaata hoon. Aur usme sabke naam likhne hain mujhe (How it started is, I carry a notebook every time there’s a tournament and I write everyone’s names in it),” Rathi revealed with a smile.
Digvesh Rathi reveals the story behind his famous ‘notebook’ celebration before the RCB clash, saying it was never meant to be aggressive or disrespectful. It was, in fact, a personal ritual that became public in the heat of the competition. For Rathi, each strike-off was a symbolic way to mark his success quietly and motivate himself throughout the tournament.
However, that silent personal ritual turned into a viral phenomenon, especially when he used the gesture after dismissing prominent batters like Abhishek Sharma during LSG’s clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The aggressive manner of the send-off led to a confrontation that required umpire Michael Gough to intervene.
As the celebration drew increasing attention, so did the penalties. Digvesh Rathi reveals the story behind his famous ‘notebook’ celebration before the RCB clash, but also has to reckon with the consequences of a one-match suspension and fines totaling over INR 9.37 lakh. That’s almost a third of his IPL salary, with punishments coming from previous incidents as well, including send-offs directed at Priyansh Arya and Naman Dhir.
Despite being reprimanded three times and accumulating five demerit points under Article 2.5 of the IPL Code of Conduct, Digvesh Rathi continues to maintain that the celebration was never meant to be provocative.
Looking ahead, Digvesh Rathi is set to return for LSG’s crucial match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 27. With the playoffs in sight, the leg-spinner’s form and discipline will be crucial. Whether he chooses to continue the celebration in its original form or tweak it to avoid further fines remains to be seen. What’s clear, however, is that Digvesh Rathi reveals the story behind his famous ‘notebook’ celebration before the RCB clash at a time when the cricketing world is watching him closely.
Love it or hate it, the notebook gesture has become a defining image of IPL 2025. And as Digvesh Rathi reveals the story behind his famous ‘notebook’ celebration before the RCB clash, it adds depth to a cricketer whose journey is just beginning to unfold.
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