'Don’t feel you are less' - Yash Dayal reveals how inspiring conversation with Virat Kohli helped him bounce back

Young left-arm pacer, Yash Dayal was one of the standout performers in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, helping Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) make a sensational comeback. The pacer has also built a strong connection with star batter Virat Kohli and recently opened up about how the former skipper inspires him.

Dayal’s struggles in IPL 2023 initiated against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), when Rinku Singh smashed him for five consecutive sixes. The setback could have derailed his career, but Dayal, backed by the support of his team and Kohli’s words, turned a corner.

After being picked up by RCB for INR five crore in the IPL 2024 auction, Dayal had an opportunity to prove himself. Before the IPL 2024 season kicked off, Kohli invited Dayal for a private conversation and shared stories of his struggles and how he overcame them, reassuring Dayal that RCB had full faith in him.

"When I was practicing in the ground, Virat bhaiya came and told Yash, I have some work with you for 5 minutes. Come to my room. I asked, ‘Yes, Bhaiya, what happened," the pacer told in a podcast with Jatin Sapru.

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"He said what happened with Rinku was his part, but from there you don’t feel you are less. Then Kohli bhaiya told his stories and connected with me; that 5 minutes became 15-20 minutes. I remember each and everything of him. He told me that we (RCB) will back you the whole season; that is why we picked you. You perform or don’t perform, but whenever you go to the ground, be always happy and excited," he added.

His turnaround was evident throughout IPL 2024. He played 14 matches for RCB and took 15 wickets, becoming one of the key contributors to the team's successful campaign. Meanwhile, the pacer has now made it to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against Bangladesh, starting on September 19, 2024.