RCB seamer Yash Dayal reflected on the challenging moments he faced during the 2023 Indian Premier League. At that time, Dayal was representing GT and was smashed by KKR’s Rinku Singh, who hit him for five consecutive sixes in the final over of a group-stage match in Ahmedabad to win the match. Yash Dayal defied the odds and is now included in the Indian test squad for the IND vs BAN series.
In a YouTube podcast with cricket presenter Jatin Sapru, Dayal recounted his experience and how that night unfolded for him.
I was already struggling with my form
Yash explained how was he struggling with the form before IPL “It was a short game, and I was struggling with my form. My health was fluctuating, and no one could have predicted how the game would turn out. I was coming back from an injury. The IPL started in April and ended in March, and I was recovering from a stress reaction in my back. I had missed some domestic cricket, which affected my match fitness. In February, I had just recovered and played two IPL 2022 matches before getting injured again. By the time I was fully fit, my match experience was lacking. It was a hard grind to get back to my best. I was also battling some deficiencies, like a lack of vitamins, which affected my performance.” Dayal said.
Yorkers didn’t work: Yash Dayal
Yash Dayal believed that he’s prepared to do the last over. ” I thought to myself, “I will do what I do best.” Even though I couldn’t execute it as I planned, I tried to do my best. I bowled yorkers in the first three balls, but none of them landed as yorkers. He hit a six on the first ball, another six over the covers on the second, and I decided to try a different approach, targeting his leg. But even that became a six over the square leg.” Dayal said.
I went blank after the third six- Yash Dayal
“After the third six, I went blank. I was thinking to myself, “Finish the match and get out of here.” I was overwhelmed and didn’t understand what anyone was saying. I looked around, and then I ran to execute my plan.” Dayal said.
“I decided to bowl a full ball, thinking I could make it work. But he hit another six on that too. It was the last six that won him the match. I was off balance, and I saw how a batsman could dominate a bowler. Rinku was right in front of me, and I felt like I was bringing the ball up. Even when we faced each other in the nets before, I never felt this shaken. Confidence-wise, I had gone blank after three balls. When he hit a six on the fourth ball of the over, I was desperate to not lose on the last ball. The inner feeling was just to try my best.” Dayal added.
Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan came to me, but I was lost
“Shubman Gill and Rashid Khan came to me, but I don’t remember their advice clearly. Messages were coming from outside, and I was overwhelmed. I was focused on finishing the over. Despite my effort, there was no guarantee of the result. After the last two balls, I had lost confidence. When I bowled the final ball, I found my balance and managed to get it right. But by then, the damage was done.” Dayal concluded.
A tough night for me
Yash Dayal was called names. “It was a tough night. People labelled it with many names. I was in commentary, and Irfan Pathan was there too. In such situations, the hero is the one who hits five sixes, which is a rare feat, especially against a high-quality bowler in the IPL.” He said.
“Leaving the ground, I felt dizzy. I was looking for someone to support me, as the Ahmedabad dressing room was packed. The public was quite scared. I was overwhelmed, and even though I wasn’t crying, it felt like I was at my lowest point.” he added.
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