Yash Dayal’s Father Reveals How Virat Kohli Turned His Son Into a Fearless Bowler

In the IPL, careers can change in just a few balls. For Yash Dayal, the left-arm pacer from Uttar Pradesh, his big turnaround didn’t just happen on the field. It also happened in quiet talks with Virat Kohli behind closed doors.

Kohli’s Support Behind Dayal’s Comeback

Virat Kohli has always backed young players. Over the years, he has helped many cricketers grow, not just with fitness but also by giving them confidence when they need it most.

Yash Dayal knows this well. He was in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons after Rinku Singh smashed him for five sixes in IPL 2023 when he was playing for Gujarat Titans. But his story took a new turn when Royal Challengers Bengaluru picked him ahead of IPL 2024.

Speaking to the Times of India, Yash’s father, Chanderpal Dayal, shared how Virat Kohli helped his son regain confidence. He said:

“Virat Kohli has supported him a lot. When Yash joined RCB, Virat would call him to his room or even visit Yash’s room. They talked about that over (from 2023), and Virat told him, ‘Keep working hard, stir up a storm. I’m with you. Don’t worry. Never stop working hard. Make mistakes, but learn from them and move forward.’”

He added that Kohli gave Yash the freedom to express himself and made him fearless.

Yash Dayal's Father said "Virat Kohli has supported him a lot. When Yash joined RCB, Virat would often call him to his room and sometimes, he would go to Yash’s room himself. They discussed that over [from 2024], and Virat told him one thing: ‘Keep working hard, toofan macha de.… pic.twitter.com/bRsRsemGV9

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 4, 2025

Yash Dayal’s Redemption Story In IPL

Yash Dayal is now one of RCB’s main players. He was among their three retained players before the IPL 2025 season. Since then, he has turned into a cool and calm death-over bowler.

His turning point came last season when he defended 17 runs in the final over against MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja. That win helped RCB qualify for the playoffs.

And he did it again this season. In another tight match against CSK on May 3, Dayal had 15 runs to defend in the last over. He not only dismissed Dhoni but also stopped CSK’s chase, sealing another thrilling win for RCB.