- July 9, 2025
Imagine this—you’re a breakout star in the world’s biggest cricket league, and yet, your local T20 league pays you more than the IPL. Sounds backward, right? But that’s exactly what’s happened with Digvesh Rathi. The young leggie, who made heads turn during IPL 2025, has just landed a fat INR 38 lakh deal with South Delhi Superstarz in the DPL 2025 Auction—beating his own IPL paycheck of INR 30 lakh with LSG. In a cricket economy where IPL contracts usually trump all, Rathi’s story is refreshingly unusual and super exciting. Let’s break it down.
The IPL Boost: When Rathi Announced Himself
Before DPL invested heavily in Digvesh Rathi, it was the IPL that had given him the stage. When playing for Lucknow Super Giants in the 2025 season, Rathi was not just an observer on the bench. He picked up 14 wickets in 13 matches at a decent economy of 8.25—pretty good for a spinner in a format that is not known for its appreciation of spin bowlers! Even though LSG did not qualify for the playoffs and Rathi did not finish the season too well (remember that 0-36 against RCB?), he had done enough to get a few people excited.
Rathi’s skills – precise leg-spin bowling, variations, and clarity of thought – proved Rathi was much more than a domestic name. Rathi was filling a position, a coveted position that every T20 team was hungry for, a dependable Indian wrist-spinner that was worth the money. The IPL labeled him bargain bin, but Rathi’s form turned him into cricket’s hottest stock. The DPL franchises took notice. And then some.
The DPL Bid War: A Battle of Boroughs
Now here’s where it gets juicy. At the Come DPL 2025 Auction, Rathi’s name sparked one of the fiercest bidding wars. Purani Dilli wanted him. They had a solid pitch, reuniting him with Rishabh Pant, his IPL captain. But South Delhi Superstarz wasn’t having it. They pulled out all the stops and shelled out INR 38 lakh to retain their man. That’s right—more than what Rathi makes in the IPL.
What makes this even more fascinating is that DPL is only in its second year. For a player to fetch close to the top price in a growing league says a lot about how domestic circuits are changing. Oh, and let’s not forget—Rathi was DPL 2024’s fourth-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets in 10 games. This wasn’t just hype; it was backed by serious numbers.
Bigger Than Money: Trust, Team, and Timing
This deal isn’t driven by salary—it’s driven by faith stitched into the fabric of the future. South Delhi Superstarz didn’t just see Rathi as a bowler; they saw him as their bowler. With Ayush Badoni, another rising player and Rathi’s teammate at LSG, as captain, this team is also focused on youth and chemistry.
And that kind of trust can do wonders for a player’s mindset. Think about it: a franchise goes all out to keep you, while you’re still growing as a player. That kind of backing might just be the fuel Rathi needs to take his game to the next level, both in DPL and when IPL 2026 rolls around.
Also, fairly interesting – Simarjeet Singh was the only player to go for more than Rathi at the auction (39 lakh). So Rathi is in elite company, ahead of well-established players like Nitish Rana. Not a bad paycheck for a spinner who wasn’t even part of the IPL playoffs.
Could this be the beginning of domestic leagues redefining a player’s value? And are we finally moving towards a system where homegrown tournaments offer not just opportunity, but also financial reward on par with the big leagues?
Only time will tell. But for now, Digvesh Rathi is cashing in—and deservedly so.
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