In a remarkable turn of events, Yash Dayal’s last-over heroics against Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024 have been attributed to the strategic guidance of Virat Kohli. A year after being released by Gujarat Titans following a difficult season, Dayal rose from the ashes to deny MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja in the final over of the clash at the Chinnaswamy on Saturday, securing a crucial victory for RCB that sealed their playoffs berth.
As Captain Faf du Plessis entrusted Dayal with the last over, the plan was to bowl a yorker to Dhoni. However, Dayal’s first delivery, a low full toss, resulted in a monstrous 110-meter six that left CSK needing only 11 runs to qualify for the playoffs.
At this critical juncture, Kohli, stationed near the boundary ropes, swiftly approached Dayal and advised him to abandon the yorker strategy and instead opt for his specialized slower deliveries. “Don’t bowl the yorker, go for the slower deliveries (yorker nehi, slower ball daal),” Kohli could be seen mouthing as Dayal looked on.
In the next ball, Dayal executed the slower delivery to perfection, inducing a hasty pull shot from Dhoni that resulted in his dismissal. The ball took the bottom edge of the bat and soared towards the fielder at deep midwicket, leaving Dhoni infuriated as he smashed his bat with his hand before walking towards the dugout in disappointment.
Dayal continued to execute Kohli’s strategy, troubling Shardul Thakur and Jadeja in the remaining four balls as the pair managed just one run. RCB thereby extended their winning streak to six consecutive matches, securing their place in the playoffs as the fourth-placed side.
Post-match, Du Plessis dedicated his Player of the Match award to Dayal for his “unbelievable” performance in the final over. “The way he bowled was unbelievable. For a man who’s fairly new, he deserves it,” Du Plessis remarked.
