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Yash Dayal (Source-India Today)
The Indian selectors have picked the team for the first Test vs Bangladesh. One of the names that came as a surprise was that of Yash Dayal. The left-arm pacer picked 4 wickets in the India A vs India B in the Duleep Trophy game. Yash Dayal dismissed Riyan Parag in both innings of the game and also dismissed Mayank Agarwal and Dhruv Jurel.
It is a nice redemption arc for the bowlers who were close to international cricket in 2022. After an amazing IPL 2022, Yash Dayal was picked for the Bangladesh tour later that year. The left-arm pacer sadly got injured and later was smashed for five sixes by Rinku Singh the very next year.
Many fans have wondered why Yash Dayal was chosen by the team. Considering that Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh also were in the fray. The two bowlers did decently well during their Duleep Trophy game last week.
Also read: India's strongest playing 11 for First Test against Bangladesh
Yash Dayal’s path to the Indian team
It wasn’t an easy path for Yash Dayal into the Indian team set-up. The 26-year-old had to battle injuries and form concerns to make it to the national side. His numbers in first-class cricket though speak for themselves.
Yash Dayal has played 24 games in first-class cricket and picked 76 wickets. His best of 5/48 is his only fifer in the red ball format. On paper, these numbers may not excite anyone but Yash Dayal has been a complete workhorse with the ball for Uttar Pradesh.
The left-arm seamer has been bowling with the new ball as well taking the core responsibility of the team. His ability to bowl in one channel at decent speeds with the ball makes him a very useful player.
Khaleel Ahmed played 13 First Class games and picked 30 wickets. Arshdeep Singh on the other hand has 51 wickets from 17 matches. Yash Dayal also won the trust of the selectors with the way he bowled in the 2nd innings against India A where he had the top batters in trouble.
Bangladesh had a lot of trouble during their recent Test series against Pakistan against Mir Hamza. The wicket of Zakir Hasan is a prime example of a bowler troubling a top-order batter by bowling in the right channels. This is what Yash Dayal brings to the table which Khaleel Ahmed or Arshdeep Singh do not at this point in time.
After his selection, Yash Dayal’s father got emotional and said to the media, "First of all, it is a matter of pride for our family. When a kid starts playing, he dreams of representing the country. Now, he has earned a call-up to represent the nation. From a small city, he has come so far. There were many tough challenges in his life, but he kept fighting.”
That very fighting spirit saw the young pacer hold his own against MS Dhoni. During the RCB vs CSK game, after being smashed for a six, Yash Dayal held his own and got the big wicket of MS Dhoni. This not only helped RCB reach the playoffs by knocking out the defending champions but also showed his new maturity as a bowler.