Udaipur, April 6, 2025: Hair like Imran Tahir, long and flowing down his neck, with a band on his head similar to the South African leg spinner. His run-up resembles that of Sunil Narine. And when he takes a wicket, his celebration is straight out of Kesrick Williams' notebook. All these traits come together to make Digwesh Rathi, the mystery spinner for Lucknow Supergiants. But Digwesh isn’t just any spinner – he has already shown that he can compete with the best in the IPL.

Shines in Lucknow Win Over Mumbai

In the match against Mumbai Indians on Friday night, Lucknow used five bowlers. Four of them gave away 10 or more runs per over, but one bowler stood out. He conceded just 21 runs in 4 overs, a little over five runs per over, and also took a wicket. That bowler was Digwesh. Keep in mind, he did this against Mumbai, who had scored 191/6 in a chase of 203 runs.

Consistent Economy Rate in IPL

Digwesh has been consistent throughout the IPL. He has only given away more than 8 runs per over in four matches so far. In total, he has taken 6 wickets with an economy rate of 7.62.

Mysterious Bowling: Mastering Length Control

Digwesh Rathi has earned a reputation as a mysterious bowler by mastering his lengths. The 25-year-old leg-spinner bowls a variety of deliveries. He took inspiration from Sunil Narine’s bowling style, saying after Lucknow’s 12-run win over Mumbai, "I fell in love with bowling after watching Narine. I like to attack and get batsmen out, just like him. I want to stay as calm as he is under pressure."

According to ESPNCricinfo, out of his 96 deliveries in the IPL so far, 80 were of "good length" or slightly short of length. He has given away just 95 runs in these 80 deliveries. Digwesh has bowled only 3 deliveries on a short length and 13 deliveries on full length. In the Mumbai match, 19 of his deliveries were on good length or slightly behind, with no short deliveries.

Rise to Prominence: From Delhi Premier League to IPL

Digwesh Rathi gained recognition in the Delhi Premier League, where he took 14 wickets in 10 matches for South Delhi, with an economy rate of 7.83. Lucknow Supergiants bought him for a base price of ₹30 lakh in the IPL mega auction. After impressing in practice matches, he quickly became a regular member of the franchise's XI. Lucknow’s coach, Justin Langer, praised Digwesh, saying, "Like all great spinners, he loves to bowl. If he could bowl for 16 hours a day, he would. He probably bowls in hotel corridors too. He practices year after year, and it’s paying off."

Disciplinary Issues: Fines and Demerit Points

There are some concerns about Digwesh’s discipline. He was fined 25% of his match fee and received one demerit point for clashing with Kesrick Williams while celebrating a wicket against Punjab Kings. He was fined 50% of his match fee and received two more demerit points for another notebook celebration after dismissing Naman Dhir against Mumbai. With three demerit points, Digwesh faces a one-match ban if he earns another.

Praise for Digwesh’s Character

Lucknow pacer Shardul Thakur believes Digwesh brings a unique character to the game. He said, "He is an extraordinary bowler. His character is colorful, and that’s what we need in cricket. We need players who perform for the team and aren't afraid to express themselves. Digwesh does that consistently, and it’s his greatest strength."