The great Virat Kohli was involved in one of the most thrilling and hot-headed contests of the year. No, it wasn't the India vs Pakistan game at the T20 World Cup final, nor the final against South Africa. In fact, the emotionally-charged match which Kohli featured in took place during the IPL 2024, when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosted Chennai Super Kings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. CSK needed a win to stay alive, and as the match boiled down to the last over, required to knock off 17 runs with the one and only MS Dhoni on strike.

Tasked with the responsibility to bowl the final six balls of the match was Yash Dayal, who the year prior, was tonked for five sixes in the last over by Rinku Singh of Kolkata Knight Riders. Fast forward to now, more than 365 days later, after the first ball of the over – a full toss – disappeared for six off the bat of the greatest finisher in world cricket, Dayal was bombarded by flashbacks of that forgettable night in Ahmedabad. However, thankfully, it was the only slip-up of the over as Dayal dismissed Dhoni off a slower delivery the very next ball and defended 10 off last two to send CSK packing.

Dayal has since, played just two matches – the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals and the recently concluded Duleep Trophy first-round match for India B. The day the game ended, Dayal was on cloud nine a few hours later as his name featured in India's squad for the first Test against Bangladesh starting September 19. As the left-arm quick revelled in the joy of his maiden India call, he couldn't not have spoken about that evening in Bengaluru, where Kohli's timely intervention gave him a shot at redemption.

"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.

"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."

100 Test matches over 300 ODIs: Dayal sets his priorities straight

Dayal has taken his first step towards fulfilling the ultimate goal – playing 100 Test matches for India – by getting drafted into the squad. India can really do with someone like Dayal in the long-run, given the death of left-arm pacers in the ranks. After Zaheer Khan, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra, India is still searching for their next long-term left-arm seamer, but Dayal is aware that the competition for the spot is stiff with Arshdeep Singh and Khaleel Ahmed also in the fray.

"100 Test matches," pat came Dayal's replay when asked to choose between playing a century of Tests or 300 ODIs for India. "Red-ball is love for me. It should always be the priority. Of course, white ball gives you the exposure, but if you want to become a real cricketer, red-ball needs to be prioritised if you want to play for long.

"I am in queue but there are people ahead of me. I can't say for sure that the search will end with me but I can surely be a choice if given an opportunity. But for that, I will need to perform."

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