Left-arm seamer Yash Dayal has revealed how Virat Kohli helped him to come back into the team during the 2024 IPL season. Following a difficult 2023 with the Gujarat Titans, which saw him be bowled out after giving up five sixes in a row to Rinku Singh, Dayal was let go by the team. But, he got another chance with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 5 crore where he could prove his worth.
He said, “The biggest thing he (Kohli) said to me was that he will back me the whole season. He told me that I will not feel like I have come to a new place, and he backed me completely. So this was a huge boost up, and he talks to the youngsters in such a very healthy way, and he is nothing like what people talk about on TV. I don't feel like that.”
This newfound confidence was evident in Dayal during the 2024 season. He became an important bowler for RCB and scalped 15 wickets in 14 matches while bowling at an economy of 9.14, thus placing him among the top-two wicket-takers for the franchise at the time of writing this paper. His performance was key in getting RCB to the playoffs, proving his ability to perform under pressure.
Dayal is preparing for Duleep Trophy 2024/25 where he will be playing for Team B, and he wants to follow his IPL success and make his way into the national team. He will have company in the form of his RCB teammate Mohammed Siraj which will only add to his determination of doing well in the larger stage.
On the other hand, Kohli achieved a personal achievement of sorts, as he notched up 16 years in international cricket. Jay Shah, Secretary of the BCCI, took to Twitter to congratulate Kohli for this achievement, stating that Kohli has been a game-changer in Indian cricket.
