This player's motivational words have made my son a fearless cricketer: Yash Dayal's father

Yash Dayal’s story is one of resilience, patience, and a quiet belief in redemption. The young left-arm pacer, once the subject of headlines after being hit for five consecutive sixes by Rinku Singh in IPL 2023, has turned his career around in style. What followed that harrowing over was a period of intense introspection and uncertainty. Doubts swirled not just from critics and fans, but even from within his own family. Yet, in the face of this storm, Dayal chose to persist. And now, at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025, he’s scripting a stirring comeback tale.

The Virat Kohli Influence

Much of Yash’s transformation is being credited to a figure revered in Indian cricket — Virat Kohli. Dayal’s father, Chanderpal Dayal, has openly praised Kohli for his mentorship and belief in his son. “Virat Kohli has supported him a lot,” he revealed. “When Yash joined RCB, Virat would often call him to his room and sometimes, he would go to Yash’s room himself.”

The turning point, according to Chanderpal, came during one of those private chats, when Kohli encouraged Yash by saying: “Keep working hard, toofan macha de. Main hoon tere saath. Chinta mat karna. Mehnat karna mat chhodna. Galtiyan karna, par seekhna aur aage badhna.” It was a message that stayed with the young pacer and helped rebuild his confidence.

Holding His Nerve in Crunch Moments

Though not among the top wicket-takers this season, with 10 wickets from 11 matches, Yash Dayal has carved out a critical role for himself in the RCB setup. Often summoned during high-pressure situations by captain Rajat Patidar, he has responded with maturity and composure. One such instance came when he defended a total despite bowling a no-ball in the final over, helping RCB clinch a narrow two-run win. His calmness under pressure stood out, something his father credits to his growing maturity and inner strength.

“It’s never over till the last ball is bowled in cricket,” said Chanderpal. “Even my family had given up. But I was confident Yash would pull it off. And he did.”

A Quiet Force in the RCB attack

Yash may not boast the fiery numbers of a purple cap contender, but his contributions have been vital in RCB's bowling unit. Sharing the pace attack with veterans like Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he has played the role of a support act with great effect, often bowling in the most challenging phases of the match.

From being written off to becoming one of RCB’s go-to bowlers, Yash Dayal’s journey is a testament to perseverance and the power of belief both from within and from those who choose to stand by you when the chips are down.