Indian Cricketers with animated send-offs (Source: X.com/IPL & AFP)
Cricket is a game of emotion, and players often express themselves on the field in different ways. Some like to keep it subtle, while there are many who celebrate, sometimes way too aggressively, and have to later pay the price.
Over the years, we have also seen some weird send-offs after a bowler takes a crucial wicket. Moreover, some players have also occasionally landed in trouble with match referees for aggressive or theatrical send-offs after taking a wicket.
Digvesh Rathi brings back his viral notebook celebration
The most recent example of this is Digvesh Rathi.
In the ongoing Delhi Premier League (DPL 2026), the mystery spinner, known for his animated celebrations, had another chance to pull out his famous ‘notebook’ celebration. He did not miss it after dismissing Priyansh Arya.
The moment came in the 10th over when Rathi bowled a back-of-a-length delivery outside off. Arya went for a big shot down the ground but failed to get the desired connection, with Rohan Rathi completing the catch at long-on.
As soon as the dismissal was confirmed, Digvesh made his way towards Arya and brought out the familiar notebook celebration, recreating the viral send-off that has made him a talking point in Indian cricket.
However, the celebration also came at a cost. Rathi was penalised 30 per cent of his match fee and handed two demerit points for breaching Article 2.5 of the Code of Conduct over his send-off to Arya.
Along the lines, this article takes a look at five Indian cricketers who have gotten into trouble for their over-the-top celebrations.
5) Harshit Rana: Reprimanded for fiery send-off to Dewald Brevis (2025)
Indian fast bowler Harshit Rana, known for his ever-so-animated celebrations, had to pay the price for his fiery send-off to Dewald Brevis. In December 2025, in the first India vs South Africa ODI at Ranchi, Rana showed raw aggression after dismissing Brevis, who was caught at deep point by Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Harshit was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This relates to ‘using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal during an International Match’.
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As a result, Harshit Rana was sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and received a demerit point added to his disciplinary record for his actions.
Moreover, this wasn’t the first time Harshit was penalised for his celebrations. During the 2024 edition of the IPL, Harshit’s flying kiss to Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Mayank Agarwal landed him in trouble.
He was fined and banned for one match for violating the IPL Code of Conduct. For India, however, this was the first time Harshit had stepped over the line.
4) Digvesh Rathi Banned for Notebook celebration (IPL 2025)
During the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Lucknow Super Giants spinner Digvesh Rathi, playing his maiden IPL season, was suspended for one match and fined 50% of his match fee.
Occurred on May 19, 2025, during a match against Sunrisers Hyderabad after Rathi dismissed Abhishek Sharma and gave him a contentious send-off.
Rathi received 2 demerit points for breaching Article 2.5 of the IPL Code of Conduct, bringing his total to 5 demerit points for the season and triggering an automatic one-game suspension (which caused him to miss the fixture against Gujarat Titans).
Abhishek Sharma was also fined 25% of his match fee and given 1 demerit point for his reaction during the argument.
3) Mohammed Siraj fined 15 per cent of his match fee (2025)
During the fourth day of India’s Test against England at the Lord’s, the Indian fast bowler celebrated excessively at close proximity to Ben Duckett, the dismissed batter.
As a result, on July 14, 2025, Mohammed Siraj was fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the fourth day of the Lord’s Test.
Siraj was found to have breached Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.
In addition to this, one demerit point was added to the disciplinary record of Siraj, for whom it was the second offence in a 24-month period, taking his tally of demerit points in a 24-month period to two.
Siraj received his earlier demerit point during the second Test against Australia in Adelaide on 7 December 2024.
2) Ishant Sharma: Multiple fines over breach of code of conduct (2015 & 2018)
Veteran Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma is well-known for his fiery, high-energy wicket celebrations and aggressive send-offs. These intense reactions occasionally landed him in trouble as well.
Sharma was fined by the ICC in both 2015 and 2018 for aggressive send-offs and animated wicket celebrations that breached the code of conduct.
In August 2015, during the second Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Ishant was fined 65% of his match fee, including a 15% fine for an aggressive send-off to Lahiru Thirimanne and an additional 50% fine for a fiery reaction after dismissing Dinesh Chandimal shortly thereafter.
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Later in 2018, during the first Test against England at Edgbaston, Ishant Sharma celebrated Dawid Malan’s wicket with an aggressive, animated in-your-face reaction. He was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and given one demerit point by the ICC for a Level 1 code of conduct breach.
1) Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan fined for altercation (2014)
Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is one of the most expressive players to ever grace the cricketing field. With his intense passion and loud, animated on-field reactions, ranging from aggressive fist-pumps to vocal send-offs, Virat plays with his heart on his sleeve.
However, during the Adelaide Test in December 2014, Virat, along with former Indian teammate Shikhar Dhawan, was fined by the apex body of cricket, the ICC, for an on-field altercation (while Varun Aaron was involved in the trigger incident, he was not fined; instead, Australian opener David Warner was).
Notably, Shikhar and Virat were involved in two different instances all together.
Varun Aaron bowled Warner on a delivery later called a no-ball. Warner exchanged provocative words with the bowler. Shikhar stepped in from the field to aggressively confront Warner after the very next delivery, pausing the game. He was fined 30% of his match fee.
Virat Kohli (acting captain) had a separate heated argument with Steve Smith after a rejected LBW appeal. He was also fined 30% of his match fee.
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