IPL 2025: Former India cricketer questions BCCI's double standards in Virat Kohli case

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 22, 2025, 19:34 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Aakash Chopra has questioned the BCCI's apparent double standard, pointing out that Virat Kohli escaped punishment for his aggressive celebration directed at Shreyas Iyer, while Digvesh Rathi was fined twice for his notebook celebration. Chopra also recalled MS Dhoni being fined for arguing with umpires, suggesting Kohli received preferential treatment.

IPL 2025: Former India cricketer questions BCCI's double standards in Virat Kohli case

Virat Kohli gestured animately at Shreyas Iyer after Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings in IPL 2025.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has pointed out what he sees as inconsistency in BCCI's handling of player celebrations, comparing Virat Kohli's aggressive celebration towards Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer with Lucknow Super Giants bowler Digvesh Rathi's notebook celebration that resulted in fines.
The incident occurred after Royal Challengers Bengaluru's seven-wicket victory against Punjab Kings in Chandigarh, where Kohli scored his fourth half-century of the season. After the winning run, Kohli's intense celebration directed at Iyer went viral on social media.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
Digvesh Rathi faced penalties on two separate occasions for his notebook celebration. He received a 25 percent fine and one demerit point for his first offence on April 1 after dismissing PBKS opener Priyansh Arya. His second offence, after dismissing Mumbai Indians' Naman Dhir, resulted in a 50 percent fine and two more demerit points.

🇮🇳 Virat Kohli reshaped Indian cricket like never before!

"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. He got scared the third time, saying he was not earning as much as he would lose in fines. So he has started writing something on the ground," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Also See: LSG vs DC
"Then we saw Virat Kohli's celebration at the end of the PBKS-RCB match, that was also pure aggression. However, no one said anything to him. There is not even a rap on the knuckles. Nobody has pulled him up for that, but you did that when Digvesh Rathi did a 'notebook' celebration," he added.

Poll

Do you think there is a double standard in BCCI's handling of player celebrations?

No, it's fairYes, definitely

Chopra also referenced a past incident involving MS Dhoni, who was fined 50 percent of his match fee for entering the field and arguing with umpires, violating the IPL Code of Conduct.
"I recall MS Dhoni was once fined 50 percent of his match fee because he entered the ground. He shouldn't have gone at all. 50 per cent of his match fee was immediately cut. It could have been more than that, but there was some action. However, it hasn't happened in Virat Kohli's case," he said.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article