Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) spinner Digvesh Rathi has come under severe scrutiny after pulling off a Kesrick Williams-style send-off on dismissing Punjab Kings (PBKS) batter Priyansh Arya during the IPL 2025 match on Tuesday (April 1) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

The incident unfolded in the third over of Punjab's innings after the visitors were set a target of 172. Rathi bowled a shorter delivery outside off and Arya went for the pull shot, but lacked the footwork, which resulted in a top edge. Shardul Thakur grabbed the catch comfortably at mid-on to send the PBKS opener back to the pavilion for 8 off 9 balls.

As soon as the catch was taken, Rathi ran up to Arya and brought out a notebook celebration, akin to that of veteran West Indies bowler Williams.

For his act, Rathi was warned by the on-field umpire. The leg-spinner was also schooled by Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar during commentary.

"I can understand the celebration if the wicket comes after the batsman hit a boundary or a six in the previous ball. As a bowler, you've got six deliveries. So if you got five dot balls and get a wicket of the sixth, then you do something like that, it's not understandable. But all these gestures mean that you don't expect to get a wicket. And now that you've got a wicket, you're trying to, you know, show off," Gavaskar said on-air.

A fellow commentator was quick to point out that Williams had done something similar against Virat Kohli during a series against India in 2017. To which, Gavaskar replied, "We know what Kohli did after that. He hit him for a boundary after boundary after boundary...(laughs)."

Considering his action, which drew umpire's wrath, Digvesh Rathi could be reprimanded by the BCCI for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct. Match referee Prakash Bhatt is likely to look into the matter.