Digvesh Rathi: From learning the craft by watching Sunil Narine videos to becoming Rishabh Pant’s ace at LSG | Cricket News

New Delhi: About five years ago, Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) organized an open net for its Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) investigation at the University of Delhi (DU) College Ground. One of the hundreds of people gathered was Digvesh Singh Rathi, who got a chance to bowl after observing the action from the sideline.
Many Indian Premier League (IPL) regularly, taking the ball out of the small North Campus Ground, and one of the delivery of Rathi received a similar treatment. Without a ball to continue, he went to a member of the coaching staff and requested for a replacement, just asked to stand in a corner.
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He was tested. He did not get a chance to bowl again and did not feature in the shortlist, which was released.
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Rejection was not new, but the lesson learned that afternoon changed his bowling and life for good. Not accepting six became his new passion, and due to lack of state-level opportunities in his way, the highly competitive club and corporate fixtures in Delhi-NCR were the only sports for whom he was ready. Even in the matches where he was paid for an appearance, his motto remained his motto to receive regular sports and match fees, not accepting the run.
“Run Lagt Hai to Buting Nahi Hai U Dubra, ISI Rhythm Khichch’s dalta (if I get a hit for the run, they don’t call again. So I bowl tightly),” Rathi would say that whenever he was asked about his bowling.
A bowler who prepared his game model after looking at Sunil Narin, Rathi started as a general off-spinner, who bowled a manhant carrom ball in his early days. The art of hiding the ball was raised by looking at Narin, and when it controlled him and stopped the rate of the economy, there was not enough contribution to the wicket column. After participating in tests for Delhi capitals and Mumbai Indians, he recognized it for doing some work, and a plan was prepared.

After watching the hours of Vanindu Hasranga footage on his phone, Rathi came to know that a googly was needed. They worked on it and finally cracked a delivery that turns differently, and more than their carrom. His regular celebration before the notebook gesture went viral was inspired by the Sri Lankan spinner and completed his bowling package.
Rathi has played around 300 local games, was a term with Delhi Capital as a net bowler, was played for Delhi U-25 in 2022-23 season, but the magical paddle only went to the IPL mega auction in 2024 when he went to the IPL mega auction only in 2024 Lucknow Super Giants Protected him for 30 lakh rupees.
Part of the Delhi Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad in the season, thanks to his extraordinary bowling in the Delhi Premier League, where he was searching for the season with 14 of the 10 matches, the 25 -year -old saw auction from his hotel room and got a relief. “IPL Khelna Hai …,” was something that he often used to say, but was lost for words when his phone started buzzing after bid.
Like his bowling, his cricket trip has been anything traditional. Payments from local games, showing for Delhi U-25 and NET bowler stent allowed them to upgrade their two-wheelers to a Royal Enfield Bullet, but increased drives to challenge themselves in different T20 games.

For those who have seen him from an early age, it is not a surprise that he has hit only three sixes in four IPL games. All those sixes came against the dubbing Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He learned his lesson during those tests during the day, and it was his life challenges and the passion to play IPL that he now shaped the bowler.
For a bowler, who was selected as a backup for Ravi Bishnoi and M Siddharth, Rathi has come in a leading role for Rishha Pant-led unit and has become the nation’s toast for his festive and ice-cool nature in pressure situations.