Right-arm pacer Yash Dayal has finally broken his silence over why he missed the current IPL season with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite not taking the field this year, the 28-year-old insists he remains connected to the franchise and believes he was kept within the squad structure rather than being removed.
Quick facts
- Yash Dayal says he is still part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru despite missing the current IPL season.
- RCB’s cricket director Mo Bobat had previously stated Dayal would not play due to a “personal situation”.
- Dayal claims opting out of the season was not his own decision.
- He says he stays in regular contact with RCB management, including mentor Dinesh Karthik.
- His absence is linked to ongoing legal proceedings.
- Allegations of sexual exploitation are part of one matter, and another case involves the POCSO Act.
Before the tournament began, Bengaluru’s cricket director Mo Bobat had indicated that Dayal would not feature for the side this season because of a “personal situation.” Dayal, however, offered a different version of events, saying the explanation given earlier does not reflect how the decision was made.
Speaking on the Talk with Manvendra podcast, Dayal said he still feels the pull of the team, describing how he sometimes gets up while watching RCB matches on television. He stressed that the franchise has not discarded him—pointing out that he remained on the retention list and was not replaced as a result of any choice he made.
“Obviously, if you are sitting outside. When I watch them on television, sometimes I just get up,” Dayal said. “But then it is my team, and they haven’t removed me. They kept me on the retain list and didn’t get me a replacement. They probably think that I am an important part.”
Dayal then pushed back on the idea that his unavailability stemmed from a personal call. He argued that, even if the situation could spark debate, the final decision rests with the relevant authorities rather than with the player.
“The other thing is that my opting out of this season wasn’t my personal decision,” he said. “The statement could be controversial, but the decision is always made by the authority. I don’t know what was the reason was behind RCB’s decision. I miss them a lot. I don’t know if the team misses me, the fans will say that.”
Staying connected with the squad
Dayal also emphasised that his absence from the playing XI has not meant an end to communication with the franchise. He said he has been in ongoing discussions with management, naming director, coach, and mentor Dinesh Karthik as part of the regular touchpoints.
“I have been in conversations with the management. I have spoken to the director, and with the coach too, and also Dinesh Karthik,” he said. “We communicate in intervals, and the connection hasn’t broken. There is no communication gap. Everything is clear and sorted.”
For context, Dayal’s unavailability has been linked to continuing legal proceedings that have kept him away from competitive cricket. The matter includes allegations of sexual exploitation, and there is also a separate case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
