IPL 2025: Shane Watson Lauds Digvesh Rathi’s Rise, Compares Him to Sunil Narine

LSG’s breakout star shines with variations and control, wins Player of the Match against MI​

Lucknow, April 5 – Rookie leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi has quickly emerged as one of the standout performers in IPL 2025, drawing praise from former Australian star Shane Watson, who hailed the 25-year-old’s exceptional control and subtle variations that have made him a formidable threat on the field.

The Delhi-born spinner, representing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), has taken six wickets so far this season at an economy rate of 7.62, consistently completing his full quota of overs under the captaincy of Rishabh Pant.

“Born to perform on the IPL stage,” says Watson​

Speaking on JioHotstar after LSG's thrilling 12-run victory over Mumbai Indians, Watson was effusive in his praise of Rathi, who was named Player of the Match for his economical spell of 1/21 in four overs, including eight dot balls.

“It seemed like he was born to perform on this IPL stage. He wasn’t reserved—he was out there, beating his chest, showing confidence, and executing beautifully,” Watson remarked.

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Rathi’s game-changing moment came when he dismissed Naman Dhir, who was on a rampage with 46 off 24 balls. A cleverly disguised carrom ball—which spun like an off-break—breached Dhir’s defence and swung the momentum in LSG’s favor.

Simple approach, lethal execution​

Watson highlighted Rathi’s simplicity and precision as key strengths:

“What stands out about Digvesh is how simple he keeps his game. He runs in, uses his variations—the carrom ball and off-spinner—but his control over length is what makes him so dangerous.”

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He added, “In a high-scoring game, where nearly 200 runs were posted, to concede just 21 runs in four overs—that’s something very, very special.”

Inspired by Sunil Narine​

Rathi credited his love for spin bowling to watching Sunil Narine, and Watson acknowledged the resemblance in their impact, noting the Delhi youngster’s calm demeanor and effectiveness under pressure.

“It’s the kind of impact we usually see from Sunil Narine. Performances like this don’t happen often. But that’s the beauty of the IPL—new talents like Digvesh burst onto the scene and showcase their incredible skills.”

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Shardul Thakur’s crucial 19th over earns Watson’s praise​

Watson also lauded Shardul Thakur for his clutch performance, especially his penultimate over, where he conceded just seven runs—paving the way for Avesh Khan to defend 22 runs in the final over against Hardik Pandya.

“Shardul executed brilliantly. He knew he had to commit to his yorker. Changes of pace weren’t working, so he nailed those yorkers against an in-form Hardik.”

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Notably, Shardul was unsold in the initial auction and was later picked up as a free agent.

“That seven-run over was special. It’s a big confidence booster for him. He’s now delivered two strong performances, and this one played a major role in LSG getting over the line,” Watson concluded.

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