The left-arm fast bowler talks about moving on from the nightmare over, and what he has learned from Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Zaheer Khan

Interview by Nagraj Gollapudi and Nikhil Sharma18-Sep-20241:32

A timeline of Yash Dayal’s incredible redemption

When Yash Dayal helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru seal a spot in the 2024 IPL playoffs by defending 17 in the last over against Chennai Super Kings, his performance was widely described as redemption for failing to defend 29 against Rinku Singh and Kolkata Knight Riders in 2023Earlier this year Dayal, 26, impressed the selectors enough with his skills in white-ball and first-class cricket to be given a fast-bowling contract. And this month, he got his maiden Test call-up when he was picked in India’s squad to play the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. Dayal talks here about how he struggled to cope after the KKR match, his thoughts before bowling the final over against CSK, a significant conversation he had with Virat Kohli ahead of the 2024 IPL, and the cricketers who make up his support system.You are one step closer to realising the dream of playing for India. What has it been like since you received the Test call-up?
In 2022 I was named in the Indian squad for the first time – for an ODI series in Bangladesh – but I couldn’t make it due to injury. At the start of the Duleep Trophy [earlier this month], I was aware that there was a spot for a left-arm fast bowler in the Indian Test team. In the first innings, my bowling was normal [1 for 39 for India B against India A], though not to my satisfaction. But the way I bowled in the second innings [3 for 50], I believed I was a strong contender.We comfortably won the match and my performance was very good. I was at the team hotel in Bangalore, watching TV, when I got a message from a friend saying I’d been selected in India’s Test squad. I didn’t believe him, but a little later I saw my name in the Test squad on BCCI’s website.Related

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Immediately I kept my phones aside to try to process what was happening inside me emotionally.I had become too emotional, because getting a Test call-up is very big. I started recalling my journey across the years. I then called my family: my mother and my sister were equally emotional, tears of joy were rolling down their faces. I spoke to my dad in the evening. It was like a festival at home. A lot of people had gathered and the and [types of drums] were being played. The BCCI fast-bowling contract you got earlier this year – was that the first signal that you were in the India management’s plans?
I was already in the targeted pool after the 2022 IPL. But now, getting a fast-bowling contract given to a select few – I was aware that if I do well in domestic cricket, it could be easy to get the India call-up.At first I wasn’t aware what exactly happens with players in the targeted pool. But soon I understood that everything about my game would be looked after and monitored by the National Cricket Academy (NCA). That includes not just my bowling but my workload, training sessions, how much strain was on my body.A lot has changed in the last two years. When I see senior players from up close, when I talk to them, I notice [that some of them] travel with personal chefs, they measure what they eat, how much rice they consume, how much protein had, things to avoid to enhance their training. When I see them looking that lean, it naturally motivates me.In the 2023 IPL, after that match against KKR, I became slightly weak and my focus wasn’t there. But slowly I started to cope with what had happened. After that I made a set-up so I would not turn back – whether it be in training or my diet, I would be so clear that when I make the comeback, I would leave no stone unturned. I took the decision to focus on the assignments given to me and the targets I need to meet. Because of that I now feel that this call-up has come at the best time.”My basic bowling strength has always been swing. Then I developed speed to go with my swing, which is very difficult for batsmen to confront”•BCCIYour sister, Suchi, is a nutritionist. What role has she played in your career?
[MS Dhoni] hit Lockie [Ferguson] for a four in the 19th over [CSK scored 18 in that over]. At that point there was this anxiety in my head. I hoped CSK would need a lot of runs in the final over. There was this [changes direction]. I have always believed without swing nearly 90% of my bowling strength will be reduced.Dayal on what defending 17 runs in an over against CSK: “[Kohli] told me take my time between deliveries, not to worry about what happened, but that I needed to believe in myself”•BCCIWhile you were at the NCA with other fast bowlers in the targeted pool, Mohammed Shami, your team-mate at Titans was also there for his injury rehab. How has he helped you with your bowling?
I have spent a lot of time with Shami bhai at GT, both on and off the ground. He spoke to me a lot about the importance of backspin on the ball and suggested I work on that. He said the more backspin you have, the faster you will be able to bowl.Then there’s Ashu pa [Titans head coach Ashish Nehra], who has played a big role in my professional career. He has supported me a lot. He is the one who got me into the IPL. In the beginning, I used to face problems bowling in first-class cricket. Ashu pa worked on my [bowling] volume. In the IPL, you have to bowl only four overs, but he would say you cannot prepare for just four. You shouldn’t feel tired by the 24th ball. He would make us prepare in a way that even after bowling the 24th ball, you felt you could bowl another six overs. That helped change my mindset and become better at bowling longer spells.Your 27th birthday will fall in the middle of India’s tour of Australia. You wouldn’t mind celebrating your birthday bowling in a Test in Australia, will you?
If given a chance, it will be like the ultimate dream coming true.Having picked you in the ODI squad in 2022 and now in the Test squad, it looks like the selectors are considering you an all-format bowler.
That does feel really good that the selectors, the BCCI, people at the NCA, show trust in me. Yes, if you are here after performing in the IPL, then it’s obvious that you can do well in white-ball cricket. But now when I was picked for red-ball cricket, I realised they had been observing me for quite some time in domestic cricket.I was first picked for the Bangladesh tour [in 2022]. Since then I’d been wondering if I would ever get another chance [to make it to an India squad]. I have heard from others that it’s a big thing to make a comeback. I get that boost that I have made my comeback to such a big Test team that has all these big names who will play alongside me.