NEW DELHI: It must have been déjà vu for Yash Dayal when he was handed the final over by skipper Rajat Patidar on Saturday. It was the same scenario he faced in IPL 2024: same team (RCB), same opponent (CSK), same venue (M. Chinnaswamy Stadium), and the same batter on strike (MS Dhoni).
In 2024, Dayal had to defend 17 runs; this time, it was 15. Back then, despite being hit for a massive six off the first ball by Dhoni, Dayal held his nerve, pulling things back and leading RCB to a thrilling win that secured their playoff spot while sending CSK packing.
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On Sunday, Dayal once again found himself entrusted with the crucial task by his captain, with the legendary Dhoni on strike. The atmosphere in the stadium was tense, but Dayal remained ice-cold.
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The final over was a spectacle of nerves and drama. CSK needed 15 runs to salvage some pride in what had been a dreadful campaign. Dayal gave away a single to Dhoni on the first ball and another single to Jadeja on the second. Then came the turning point: on the third ball, Dayal dismissed Dhoni and shifted the momentum in RCB’s favour.
Shivam Dube entered with CSK needing 13 from 3 balls.
Then, chaos. A waist-high no-ball gave Dube a free hit, which he smashed for six. The equation suddenly changed — 6 needed off 3 balls.
With just six required from three, Dayal kept his composure. He bowled a single to Dube on the fourth ball, and Jadeja couldn’t make an impact on the penultimate ball, also taking a single.
Now, it was down to 4 runs needed from the final ball. Dayal exchanged a brief word with Patidar. The tension was palpable, but Dayal calmly took his run-up and delivered a low full-toss. Dube connected hard, sending the ball to long-on, but only managed two runs.
RCB dugout, players on the field and thousands in the stands erupted. Not only did the win lift them to the top of the points table, but it also marked another clutch finish from Dayal — his calmness under pressure proving decisive once more.
A unique stat: In both the 2024 and 2025 instances, Dayal dismissed Dhoni.
Despite the no ball and the six, another person who remained cool under pressure was his father, Chanderpal Dayal, watching from Allahabad. At no point did he doubt the outcome, knowing full that Yash would pull through.
“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 in this match,” Yash Dayal’s father told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
“I was watching the 2024 match — he was in the same situation, and Dhoni was there too. When Patidar handed him the last over this time, I was literally smiling. The skipper knows Yash well. The management has shown a lot of trust in him. Virat has supported him immensely since he joined RCB. He’s the reason Yash is performing so freely, without any baggage on his shoulders
“Virat hamesha bolte hain usko darr ke nahi, bindas khel, khul ke khel [Virat always tells him to not play with fear, but to play freely and with confidence],” the father said.
‘VIRAT’S SUPPORT IS HUGE FOR YASH’
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Dayal has burried the 2023 nightmare a long back. While playing for Gujarat Titans, Dayal had to defend 29 off the final over against Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR’s hard-hitting batter Rinku Singh hit five consecutive sixes off Yash Dayal to give his team a dramatic victory.
Dayal became the butt of jokes on social media. He was released by Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024 Auction. But, RCB showed faith in him and bought him for Rs 5 crore. He was also retained by RCB prior to the 2025 season.
“I would like to thank RCB for showing faith in me and for retaining me. I couldn’t have asked for a better team to play for. RCB believed in me even in my lowest moments. That is very special for me,” said Dayal on social media ahead of the season.
Dayal’s father Chandrapal revealed how Kohli helped Dayal in tough times.
“He always said ‘Papa bhul jao uss episode ko, mai yaad nahi karna chahta. Bahot aage jana hai [Papa, forget that episode. I don’t want to remember it. Have to go a long way]’. He was never down, even after getting hit by Rinku Singh. I am really thankful to RCB for showing trust in him and supporting him,” the 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. Main hoon tere saath. Chinta mat karna. Mehnat karna mat chhodna. Galtiyan karna, par seekhna aur aage badhna.’ (Keep working hard, create a storm. I’m with you. Don’t worry. Never stop putting in the effort. Make mistakes, but learn and move forward). Virat has given him a lot of freedom and turned him into a fearless cricketer,” the father said.
“Maine kaafi cricketers ko tootate hue dekhe hai, espcially bowlers ko par Virat ne apne haath se joda hai [I have seen many cricketers break down, especially bowlers, but Virat has connected them with his own hands],” Chandrapal signed off.
