You’ve seen Ishan Kishan thump his chest after a hundred. You’ve witnessed Virat Kohli’s fiery roar after a crucial boundary.
You’ve watched countless batters unleash their inner beast — fists pumping, bats flying, screams echoing through the stadium. Swag overload, right? But here’s the kicker — the moment a bowler brings out a unique celebration, the cricketing world goes into meltdown.
Take the case of Digvesh Rathi — the leg-spinner from Delhi who’s been turning heads (and raising eyebrows) with his “notebook celebration.” After every wicket, he coolly pulls out an imaginary pen and notes down his latest victim in his invisible diary. Savage? Definitely. Disrespectful? That’s where the drama begins.
From the very first game of the season, Digvesh has been under the scanner. Umpires slapped him with fines, citing breaches of conduct. But Digvesh didn’t stop. In his own words, “Dilli se hoon bhai, attitude to laazmi hai.”
Things hit a boiling point in the LSG vs SRH clash on Monday. After dismissing Abhishek Sharma, Digvesh gave him a slight send-off, followed by his now-iconic notebook move. But Abhishek didn’t take it lightly. He turned back and confronted the bowler, triggering a mini-standoff on the field.
The aftermath? Digvesh Rathi received a one-match ban and a 50% fine on his match fee. Abhishek Sharma? Just a 25% fine. Fair? You decide.
The bigger issue isn’t just about one incident. It’s about the broader hypocrisy in how cricket celebrations are perceived. When a bowler expresses himself — he's “breaking the spirit of the game,” “violating the code of conduct,” or presenting “bad optics.” But when a batter does the same, everyone suddenly forgets how to talk.
Remember Harshit Rana’s flying kiss celebration from IPL 2024? He was pulled up and even banned for a match. Meanwhile, that very season saw batters indulge in celebrations that could put a dance floor to shame — and not a word was said.
So, why is a batter’s aggression seen as entertainment, but a bowler’s passion seen as provocation? Why is the “spirit of the game” invoked only when the guy with the ball has fun?
If double standards had a face, this would be it — a tale of two celebrations, judged by two completely different rules.
