Digvesh Rathi, a fast-rising leg-spinner who has had nothing short of a spectacular rise, was at the center of Sunday's thrilling Delhi Premier League (DPL) headlines. Rathi was the second most expensive player in the tournament after being acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants for ₹30 lac in the IPL early this year and then selling for ₹38 lac.

The 22-year-old spinner was purchased by Delhi Superstarz, who look to improve their spin unit ahead of DPL Season 2. Rathi’s consistency and ability to thrive under pressure certainly led to plenty of franchises showing interest; however, it was Superstarz who were able to close the deal, which highlights the players' development in the past few months. 

Rathi’s journey is indicative of the domestic cricket landscape evolving in India, where local leagues like the DPL are bridging their players' development, opportunities to be noticed, and opportunities to be paid for their skills. The hike in auction price by Rathi from being valued at ₹30 lac in the best T20 league in the world compared to the regional tournament where he was worth ₹38 lac, indicates how highly he is rated across all formats.

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Digvesh Rathi's Development: the Rise from ₹30 Lakh in IPL to ₹38 Lakh in DPL

Simarjeet Singh, a right-arm fast bowler, was at the top of the leaderboard overall in a very good auction for franchises with a ₹39 lakh deal to Central Delhi Kings. Other feature prospects were Prince Yadav (₹33 lakh) and Nitish Rana (₹34 lakh). But Rathi's development milestone was particularly impressive, signaling the beginning of a new phase of his young spinner's life.

After making fantastic strides in the IPL season with his variations, control, and temperament, Digvesh is now in a great position to be a major performance piece of the Delhi Superstarz's campaign. His valuation is more than just numerically important; it reflects how much higher franchises are starting to trust in high-ceiling, domestic talent.

In earning a valuation of ₹38 lakh in DPL, up from ₹30 lakh in IPL, Digvesh Rathi's development can be interpreted as a reflection of consistency, promise, and the growing opportunities in India's domestic T20 ecosystem.

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will be one of the biggest names at the Delhi Premier League (DPL) Season 2 auction, set to take place on July 6 and 7 in New Delhi. The auction will feature over 10 well-known IPL players, including Ishant Sharma, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, and Anuj Rawat.

Pant will face strong competition from young stars like Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi, both of whom first impressed during DPL Season 1 and later went on to shine in the IPL.

Two New Teams Join the League

The DPL is also growing this year, with the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) announcing two new men’s franchises. The Outer Delhi team was picked up for ₹10.6 crore by Savita Paints Private Limited, while the New Delhi team was bought for ₹9.2 crore by a joint bid from Bheema Tolling and Crayon Advertising.

With these additions, the number of men’s teams in the league has increased from six to eight. The new teams will join existing sides:

• Central Delhi Kings
• East Delhi Riders
• North Delhi Strikers
• Purani Dilli 6
• South Delhi Superstarz
• West Delhi Lions

Auction Dates and Key Players

• Men’s auction: July 6
• Women’s auction: July 7

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Apart from Pant, several IPL and domestic stars are set to go under the hammer: Ishant Sharma, Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Anuj Rawat, Simarjeet Singh, Himmat Singh, Suyash Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Lalit Yadav, Yash Dhull, Nitish Rana, Hrithik Shokeen, Prince Yadav, and more.

DDCA President Rohan Jaitley said, “The Delhi Premier League is more than just a tournament, it’s a celebration of Delhi’s cricketing culture. With the new teams and returning stars, Season 2 promises to be even bigger.”

Women’s Cricket Takes Centre Stage in DPL Season 2

DDCA has also kept a strong focus on women’s cricket. Vice-President Shikha Kumar said the women’s league is growing and will continue to get equal attention and support. “We want girls across Delhi to see cricket as their game played on equal terms and celebrated just as loudly,” she said.

All matches of Season 2 will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The full match schedule will be announced after the player auctions. With top players, two new teams, and strong backing for women’s cricket, DPL Season 2 is shaping up to be a special one for fans and players alike.

Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, who made headlines with his performances for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025, has again captured the attention of the cricketing world after going viral for his unbelievable bowling achievement of taking five wickets on five consecutive balls during a local T20 league match. The clip of this rare feat circulated quickly on social media and was even shared on LSG's official page, increasing the young bowler’s popularity.

Rathi is from Delhi and had a very successful IPL 2025 season with 14 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 30.64. Though his figures were good, it was his aggressive "notebook celebration" that took the spotlight away from everything else. Mimicking a writing gesture after taking wickets, the celebration became a talking point across cricketing circles and led to penalties from match officials. Still, Rathi’s flair and talent were evident, even though LSG failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.

The five-in-five performance only adds to the excitement surrounding Rathi, who appears to be generating genuine traction following the IPL. Cricket fans and analysts alike are speculating if these regular performances—in leagues and domestic tournaments—could put him on an even bigger stage, potentially a national cap.

Yograj Singh Backs Rathi’s Celebration, Urges BCCI to Go Easy

Former India cricketer Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, has spoken out in support of Rathi’s much-debated notebook celebration. Speaking to InsideSport, Yograj criticized the penalties imposed on young players for expressive gestures and urged the authorities to take a more understanding approach.

Watch the video here

DIGVESH RATHI PICKED 5 WICKETS IN 5 DELIVERIES. 🤯pic.twitter.com/zXbgmSkXnG

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 16, 2025

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"Come on, man, don’t fine them. It’s okay. You are still friends with the bowlers. Everybody is not the same. Emotions go. Forgive them. Obviously, at the end of the day, you’re friends; if you say sorry, the matter is over. Have a big heart and don’t get into these petty things. "What is this nonsense going on, fining kids?" Yograj said passionately. As Rathi continues to thrive in local leagues, his supporters hope the BCCI and franchises give him the space to shine without curbing his personality.

It was a night of action-packed cricket at the EKNA Stadium between RCB and LSG, which was nothing but a dead rubber. Although LSG had no hopes of making any further progress in the tournament, it was a must-win fixture for RCB as they needed to finish in the top two to avoid the Eliminator. The high-scoring thriller saw the ball flying to all parts. From Pant's blistering century to Jitesh Sharma's match-saving 85*, the crowd was thoroughly entertained right from the outset.

But controversy erupted during RCB's innings, which soon became a contentious talking point, leaving the fans divided. It was the same-old makad dismissal that became a point of friction between the two sides. At a time when the partnership between Jitesh and Mayank was blossoming nicely, Rathi resorted to dismissing Jitesh at the non-striker's end as he saw him backing up too far. A mankad dismissal was executed by Rathi at the bowler's end, and the decision was soon sent upstairs. 

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The TV umpire concluded that Rathi had paused and not even completed his entire action before dislodging the bails at the bowler's end. As per prevailing rules, a bowler is only allowed to run the non-striker before the bowler completes his/her entire action, or before his/her arm goes past the release point. The ruling from the TV umpire was out, and he rightly adjudicated Jitesh not out on the basis of visual evidence. Furthermore, in a strange turn of events, while the decision was referred, LSG captain Rishab Pant came forward to withdraw the appeal. 

Amidst all the drama, Virat's reaction went viral. The mankad dismissal left Virat visibly frustrated, and in the video given below, the chase master could be seen hurling a bottle out of frustration. 

Watch the entire incident unfold:

pic.twitter.com/90nxT2y0yn

— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) May 27, 2025

Mankads are not unusual in modern-day cricket anymore, and the cash-rich league has seen a fair share of them over the years. Despite being well within the regulations, mankad dismissals do tend to cause a massive uproar within the cricketing community, with fans jostling to pick sides.