Digvesh Rathi Dropped Against PBKS, Know Who Replaced Him

Lucknow Super Giants made a key change for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Punjab Kings, leaving out the mystery spinner Digvesh Rathi from the playing XI. LSG skipper Rishabh Pant confirmed at the toss that LSG will bowl first after winning the toss.

The match, being played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, is the 29th match of the season, with both teams aiming to get crucial points in the middle stage of the tournament. However, Rathi's absence comes as a big surprise.

Why Digvesh Rathi is Not Playing Today?

There is no official injury concern reported for Digvesh Rathi, which shows that his absence is just a tactical decision by the team management. At the toss, Rishabh Pant clearly mentioned that “Rathi is out, Siddharth comes in,” confirming a straight swap in the XI. It clearly means Rathi has been dropped for the PBKS vs LSG IPL 2026 match.

For those wondering why Digvesh Rathi is not playing today, it appears that LSG opted for a different bowling combination to suit match conditions. Manimaran Siddharth, a left-arm spinner, offers more accuracy as compared to Rathi's mystery spin, which could be more effective against this in-form PBKS batting lineup.

Digvesh Rathi replacement, Manimaran Siddharth can bring a good momentum for the Pant-led team as Lucknow Super Giants look to counter a strong Punjab Kings batting line-up that has been in good form this season.

Digvesh Rathi's Disappointing IPL 2026 Season

Digvesh Rathi has played four matches so far in the ongoing season but hasn't been effective like he was in IPL 2025. The spinner has taken only three wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 9.56. Rathi has often remained in headlines for his controversial trademark celebration, which has led him to face bans and penalty fees.

However, the ongoing season of Indian Premier League has brought nothing for the spinner so far, both on and off the field. It would be interesting to see if LSG will continue to bench Rathi in the upcoming matches or it was just an experiment.

Despite being benched, he remains one of the best bowlers in IPL. He is an integral part of this bowling attack and can be useful in the latter part of the league when the pitches start favoring the spinners after slowing down.