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Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s left-arm pacer Yash Dayal revealed how Virat Kohli planned the dismissal of Chennai Super Kings icon MS Dhoni in the IPL 2024, which led to the former champions’ elimination. In the latest edition of the tournament, Kohli-starred RCB knocked CSK out of the playoffs race and knocked them out of the season. Not only this, but the match also made it to the headlines for the no-handshake saga that captured the attention of cricket fans from across the globe.
In the game that took place on May 18, 2024, RCB hosted CSK at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The match saw RCB needing 17 runs in the last over, when MS Dhoni, regarded as one of the greatest finishers, was on the crease. Yash Dayal, a young pacer shouldered the responsibility of delivering the last over.
Yash Dayal reveals Virat Kohli’s strategy behind dismissing MS Dhoni
Dayal recently revealed the masterstroke by former RCB skipper which led to Dhoni’s dismissal, and eventually Yellow Army’s elimination from the tournament. Dayal revealed that Kohli had suggested him to use slower deliveries, which proved to be a masterstroke. After Dhoni hit the first ball for a six, Dayal went on to deliver a slower ball that led to CSK batter’s dismissal. Things then went on to unfold in favour of the Bengaluru-based franchise, and they ended up sealing their spot in the top four.
“When I got hit for the six and I was going back to my run-up, I was thinking ‘why is it that I always get stuck in these situations? Every time the batter hits me for runs’. But when I re-accessed the situation, Virat bhaiya came and said, "‘You can take some time’ and what to bowl to Mahi bhai. He was like ‘try the slower ball because if you give him pace then you won’t need to see where the ball has landed. It will always be a six’,” Dayal told News24.
He added, “That’s when I realised that I can’t give him speed, or else I’ll get smashed again. It [taking the pace off] was going to be my best option. I had confidence in my slower balls; I was controlling them well. I bowled it from the back of my hand, and it worked.”
