'Humare Liye Woh Ek Hadsa Tha': Yash Dayal's Father Recalls Painful 'Rinku Singh' Taunts After IPL 2023

The Uttar Pradesh fast bowler, Yash Dayal has been handed his first Test call-up for the series-opener against Bangladesh, starting on September 19 in Chennai. The squad was announced on Sunday and has four pace bowlers in the form of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, and now Dayal, who is suddenly in the company of some of India's top cricketing talents.

Yash Dayal’s Harrowing Period Of Struggle After IPL 2023

The selection in Indian Team for Yash Dayal is more than a mere milestone in his career; it is the culmination of a daunting period that started on a bitter note in IPL 2023. For one long year, Chanderpal Dayal, Yash's father, would try to avoid being out in the afternoons near their Allahabad residence in the Karbala Masjid area. The reason for his aversion was a grim reminder of that bad IPL moment of Yash. In an interview with PTI, Dayal's father spoke about how schoolchildren, upon seeing him on the streets, would chant, "Rinku Singh, Rinku Singh five sixes, five sixes," and how that haunting memory would relive the difficult night that Yash had in Ahmedabad.

Also Read: Yash Dayal’s Epic Comeback: From Conceding 5 Sixes In An IPL Over To Team India Selection

Dayal Constantly Received 'Rinku Singh' Taunts

The very night, Rinku Singh, another Uttar Pradesh batter achieved overnight stardom by whacking Yash Dayal for five continuous sixes in the final over of an IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Kolkata Knight Riders. This dramatic turn of events left a mark on Yash, and his family, too.

"Humare liye woh ek hadsa tha (It was like an accident for us)," Chanderpal, a retired officer with the Accountant General's Office in Allahabad, recalled.

"The school bus would pass by, and kids would scream, ‘Rinku Singh, Rinku Singh, five sixes.’ It was so painful -- why did this have to happen to my son?”

Overwhelming Period For Dayal's Mother

Yash's mother had been so distressed that she had fallen ill and lost her appetite due to the fact that the more the days were passing, the more her son was going into the cocoon of depression. Yash was equally traumatized by this incident and remained in seclusion for days trying to come to terms with the emotional baggage of that night.

"His mother Radha was so distraught that she fell ill and refused to eat as Yash went into a shell. Titans also released him as he had to rebuild his career," Chanderpal remembers vividly.

"Yash fell ill, but we never let him think about giving up. We, as a family, made a pledge. 'Jab tak tum (Yash) India nahin khelogey, chodenge nahin. India tum khelke rahoge (We won't stop until you play for India. You will play for India),'" Chanderpal asserted.

Also Read: DPL 2024: East Delhi Riders Edge Out South Delhi Superstarz By 3 Runs To Win The Title

Tables Turned For Yash Dayal In 2024

One good thing about a sport is that it keeps giving a second chance. The same happened for Yash when he was picked into the national team recently. The narrative has flipped from 'that' bowl who gave away five consecutive sixes to someone being touted already as an exciting option in Test cricket and ahead of established white-ball internationals like Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh. Once subjected to painful jibes from children at every street corner, this Dayal family basks in the glory of Yash's success, celebrates with his favorite dish "mutton keema," and enjoys all the fruits of hard-earned success.

Nevertheless, whether Dayal will make his Test debut in the series still remains ambiguous. India are more likely to bank on spinners instead of playing a third pacer on what is expected to be a helpful pitch for them on the first Test in Chennai with the likes of Bumrah and Siraj already there.

India Vs Bangladesh, 1st Test Squad

Team India Squad- Rohit Sharma (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), R Ashwin, R Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Yash Dayal.