Virat Kohli has supported young players during their tough phases. He inspired a generation of cricketers, especially those entering through the IPL. During his captaincy, he pushed for a fitness revolution and built a strong pace attack for Test cricket. In the IPL, he also mentored young talents and helped them regain confidence.
Yash Dayal Felt Pressure After GT Setback
Yash Dayal joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) last season while struggling mentally. The pressure stemmed from a painful moment in his last season with Gujarat Titans, when Rinku Singh hit him for five consecutive sixes.
Before joining RCB, Dayal often spoke about the difficult time. His father, Chanderpal Dayal, confirmed how hard it was for him to bounce back.
Kohli Gave Personal Support to Dayal
Chanderpal said Kohli played a major role in supporting his son. “Virat Kohli has supported him a lot,” he told Times of India. “When Yash joined RCB, Virat would often call him to his room — and sometimes, he would go to Yash’s room himself.”
They discussed the over from 2023, and Kohli motivated him by saying, “Keep working hard, toofan macha de. Main hoon tere saath. Chinta mat karna. Mehnat karna mat chhodna. Galtiyan karna, par seekhna aur aage badhna.”
Chanderpal said this support gave Dayal the freedom to play fearlessly.
Dayal Makes a Strong Comeback
After joining RCB, Dayal bounced back. He was one of the three players retained ahead of this season. He took charge as a death-over specialist and helped RCB win important games.
Last season, he defended 17 runs in the final over against CSK in a must-win match. He bowled to MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja and led RCB to the playoffs. This season, he had to defend 15 runs against the same pair. Again, he dismissed Dhoni and helped RCB win.
Chanderpal Thanks Kohli for His Role
Chanderpal praised Kohli for helping his son during his lowest point. He said, “Maine kaafi cricketers ko tootate hue dekhe hai, especially bowlers ko, par Virat ne apne haath se joda hai.” Kohli’s support proved crucial in rebuilding the confidence of a young pacer, and once again, his leadership shone through beyond the cricket field.
