Getting smashed for five consecutive sixes in an over - nothing can be more devastating for a bowler in T20 cricket, well, maybe, getting hit for six sixes in an over can beat that but the point is that it can often push the bowlers into a bottomless chasm.
While getting cornered in such an abyss can be harrowing, to dare and make efforts to come out of it is more than just a daunting task and very few know it as better as RCB's latest recruit, Yash Dayal.
Dayal ran out of luck on April 9 when Gujarat Titans hosted Kolkata Knight Riders for the 13th match of IPL 2023. Being tasked to defend 28 off the final over, Dayal ran in with as much vigour as possible but came second in an engaging battle with his UP teammate, Rinku Singh.
Rinku hammered Dayal for five consecutive sixes to win an unwinnable for KKR at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium.
While the delirious crowd at the venue stood in awe of Rinku's power-hitting, hardly a few spared a thought for a crestfallen Dayal. The hammering at the hands of Rinku took a toll on the Uttar Pradesh pacer and he couldn't recover from it that season.
Several cricket experts criticised Dayal for the deliveries that he bowled during that over to Rinku by saying that they were bound to be put away for boundaries.
The left-arm pacer fell ill after the game and even lost several kilos. While the game helped Rinku become a household name, it dented Dayal's self-belief and Gujarat Titans released him after the season.
Uncertain of his IPL career, Dayal still tossed his hat into the 2023 auction and to his ecstasy, RCB splurged INR 5 crore to rope him into their squad.
Many questioned RCB's investment and proclaimed that it wasn't wise of them to spend so much on a bowler who must be deflated after the shellacking he received in the previous season.
However, contrary to such opinions, Yash Dayal has emerged as the most successful bowler for RCB in the ongoing season of the IPL.
He has bagged 10 wickets in the same number of games and is the leading wicket-taker for them this season. Dayal has conceded runs at an economy of 8.89 per over which is impressive considering how the bat has dominated the ball in IPL 2024.
With RCB still in the race to make it to the playoffs, Dayal can still play a major role for them in the games to come.
