"No Godfather, Money...": Tough Journey Of IPL Star Digvesh Rathi, Fined By BCCI, Revealed

Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi has emerged as one of the new stars of Indian Premier League (IPL). He has made his name with disciplined bowling performances with his trademark notebook celebrations earning him eyeballs as well as punishment from the BCCI. However, his tough journey to stardom is one of grit and determination. Sunny, Digvesh's brother, revealed how the family faced challenges and was even advised to leave Delhi due to financial problems. However, it did not break Digvesh's resilience who showed tremendous promise and ended up realising his dream.

“Digvesh had no godfather, we had no money or influence. We were advised to move out of Delhi. Par bhag kyun jaye (but why would we run away)?” Sunny, who now works as a police constable at the Mandoli Prison Complex, told The Indian Express.

Digvesh, who was bought for Rs 30 lakh by LSG, initially started out as a batter but lack of practice at the nets prompted him to change into a bowler. The spinner, a fan of Sunil Narine, modelled his action and bowling style after the West Indies cricketer and his performances has earned him a lot of praise.

“When it was Digvesh's turn to bat, most of the good bowlers were disinterested in bowling because he wasn't a known name. When he played good strokes against them, their ego was hurt too. Players brought their own cricket balls, so they didn't want to waste it on him. I would bowl to him for hours but facing only one bowler limits a batsman,” Sunny said.

Digvesh caught the eye of former Indian cricket team wicket-keeper batter Vijay Dahiya who asked him to train at his academy. However, his big moment came in the Delhi Premier League where he ended up picking 14 wickets for South Delhi Superstarz.

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