When Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) introduced Digvesh Singh Rathi into their bowling unit against Delhi Capitals, few were familiar with his name. But within three balls of his IPL debut match, the 23-year-old mystery spinner was making headlines. His ball that shook Axar Patel’s stumps was a declaration—Rathi had arrived. So, who actually is Digvesh Singh Rathi? Let’s have a look!

Digvesh Singh Rathi’s journey to the IPL wasn’t overnight. It was built through years of hard work in domestic cricket. His big break came in the Delhi Premier League (DPL) 2024, where he played for South Delhi Superstarz, led by Ayush Badoni. His performances were impossible to ignore—he picked up 14 wickets in 10 matches, finishing as the fifth-highest wicket-taker.

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But it was not only the statistics that set him apart. Rathi demonstrated incredible control over even high-level batters, such as Rishabh Pant. His bowling action—regularly compared to that of Sunil Narine—is dependent on flight deception, acute variation, and the capacity to generate aberrant bounce. Before the conclusion of the DPL season, IPL scouts were already paying attention.

 

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At the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, LSG snapped him up for ₹30 lakh. It was a low-key pick during a record-shattering auction in which franchises spent more than ₹639 crore combined. Though he wasn’t a splashy pick, LSG evidently had a special eye for something.

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Their faith in him was justified. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, Rathi came up with a crucial spell of 2/11 against Manipur, indicating his capability to deliver under pressure.

Lucknow’s game against Delhi Capitals was short of some big guns—KL Rahul was not there, and their bowling team had no star pacer. But Rathi rose to the challenge.

In the 7th over, he bowled a delivery that turned sharply, deceiving Axar Patel and crashing into the stumps. The stadium erupted. LSG had found an unlikely hero.

From the local circuits of Delhi to the grand stage of the IPL, Digvesh Singh Rathi’s story is just beginning. If his debut is anything to go by, cricket fans should keep a close eye on this rising star.