The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has come under scrutiny for what some consider a double standard in the case of Virat Kohli’s recent on-field celebration during an IPL 2025 match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). Aakash Chopra, former India cricketer and popular commentator, pointed out the discrepancy when Kohli’s aggressive celebration was compared to that of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowler Digvesh Rathi, who faced fines twice this season for his ‘notebook’ celebration.
Virat Kohli’s Aggressive Celebration vs. Digvesh Rathi’s Fine
Kohli’s fiery celebration came after he helped RCB secure a seven-wicket win against PBKS, scoring a record fourth half-century. The aggressive celebration, which included Kohli staring down PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, quickly went viral on social media. However, unlike Digvesh Rathi, who was fined for similar behavior earlier in the season, Kohli did not face any punishment or reprimand from the BCCI.
Chopra raised questions about this discrepancy during his YouTube channel discussion. “What caught my eye was that Digvesh Rathi did a ‘notebook’ celebration. He did it once and got fined. He did it a second time and got fined. But when we saw Virat Kohli’s celebration, which was pure aggression, no one said anything to him. There wasn’t even a rap on the knuckles,” Chopra remarked.
Double Standards in IPL’s Code of Conduct
The issue deepened when Chopra compared the situation to MS Dhoni’s past fine for entering the field and arguing with the umpires. Dhoni was fined 50% of his match fee for violating the IPL Code of Conduct during a 2019 match, a penalty that Chopra believed should have applied to Kohli in this instance as well.
“I recall MS Dhoni was fined 50% of his match fee because he entered the ground. It could have been more than that, but there was some action. However, it hasn’t happened in Virat Kohli’s case,” said Chopra, questioning why the same rules didn’t apply to Kohli.
Digvesh Rathi’s Fines for ‘Notebook’ Celebration
Digvesh Rathi’s fines have sparked a wider debate about the consistency of IPL’s disciplinary actions. Rathi was first fined 25% of his match fee and given a demerit point after dismissing PBKS opener Priyansh Arya on April 1. When he repeated the ‘notebook’ celebration after dismissing Mumbai Indians’ Naman Dhir, he was fined 50% of his match fee and received two more demerit points.
The stark contrast in the way Rathi and Kohli’s celebrations were handled has left many questioning the BCCI’s approach to enforcing discipline in the IPL.
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