“Virat Kohli Turned Him Into a Fearless Cricketer”: Yash Dayal’s Father Recalls Inspiring Words from RCB Star

May 4, 2025: After defending 15 runs in a tense final over against Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Yash Dayal earned praise not just from fans, but also from his father, Chanderpal Dayal — who credited Virat Kohli for mentoring and motivating his son during difficult times.

Dayal, once remembered for conceding five sixes in an over to Rinku Singh during IPL 2023, has made a strong comeback this season. Often thrown into high-pressure situations by RCB captain Rajat Patidar, the left-arm pacer has held his nerve, most recently securing a two-run win for RCB despite bowling a costly no-ball.

Speaking about the transformation, Chanderpal shared with pride, “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. Main hoon tere saath. Chinta mat karna. Mehnat karna mat chhodna. Galtiyan karna, par seekhna aur aage badhna.’”

He added that Kohli’s words and personal involvement gave Yash the confidence to believe in himself again: “Virat has given him a lot of freedom and turned him into a fearless cricketer.”

Recalling the crucial last over, Chanderpal said even fans — and some family members — doubted Yash’s ability to close out the game, especially after a no-ball and a six. But the pacer bounced back with three calm deliveries to seal the win.

“It’s never over till the last ball is bowled in cricket. Yash is more mature now. I’m sure even the fans had given up — my family did too. But I was confident that Yash would pull it off. And he did. His calmness was the key,” he concluded.

Dayal’s story is now being hailed as one of the most inspiring comebacks in IPL history — a testament to resilience, belief, and the power of good mentorship.