ALUR, July 26 — What do you do after playing an IPL final, facing a sexual exploitation case and a rape complaint, and getting married privately? If you are Yash Dayal, you head to the nets in southern Karnataka. The left-arm pacer is set to join Chhattisgarh’s domestic squad ahead of the 2026-27 season, marking his first competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Dayal’s return has been in the works for weeks. He is still waiting for a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to formally complete the transfer.
Chhattisgarh, meanwhile, has begun pre-season training at the Alur cricket centre near Bengaluru, and Dayal has been spotted there bowling in the nets. The state team’s willingness to take him on while legal proceedings remain unresolved is itself a statement.
A Complicated Comeback
The path back to the field is tangled. In Ghaziabad, a case has been registered against Dayal under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita — sexual exploitation on the false promise of marriage. Separately, a more grave rape complaint has also been filed.
The allegations surfaced soon after the IPL final, and Dayal has not played any professional cricket since. The exact date of the complaints is not specified in the source, but they have kept him away from the game for months.
Amid this legal turmoil, Dayal married a content creator in a private ceremony. The timing of the wedding — after the allegations became public — made it a pointed gesture of personal support. The couple have not commented publicly on the cases.
No court verdict has been reached, and no details of the complainants or the alleged incidents have been made available by any official body.
Legal Challenges Mount
The more serious rape complaint means Dayal could face a prolonged legal process. Both cases were registered in Ghaziabad, a city in Uttar Pradesh, which is also the state where the UPCA operates. That may explain the delay in issuing the NOC: cricket associations typically wait for legal clarity before sanctioning transfers when a player is under criminal investigation.
The UPCA has not stated its position publicly. Dayal’s move to Chhattisgarh, a less high-profile domestic side, could be seen as an attempt to rebuild his career away from the scrutiny of the IPL and the Uttar Pradesh cricket establishment.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where Dayal last played, have not commented on the legal situation. The franchise included him in their squad for the 2025 season, during which he played the final. Dayal’s absence from the game since then is clear.
Private Marriage and Next Steps
The wedding was a low-key affair, with no media access. The marriage provides Dayal with a personal anchor, but it does not alter the legal reality. He remains a suspect in two criminal cases under Indian law.
The courts will decide on bail, charges, and eventual trial; none of that has been reported so far. From a cricketing perspective, Dayal’s left-arm pace — the rare trait that makes him valuable — is still intact.
At 28, he has time to resurrect a career that includes IPL appearances and domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh. Joining Chhattisgarh gives him a fresh start in a team that is rebuilding its bowling attack. The state’s pre-season camp at Alur, a well-regarded facility, suggests serious preparation for the upcoming domestic season.
What to watch: the NOC decision from UPCA. If it comes through, Dayal will officially become a Chhattisgarh player and can play in the Ranji Trophy and other tournaments.
If not, his path back remains blocked. The legal cases will grind on regardless, moving through the Ghaziabad courts. Dayal’s return to competitive cricket — if it happens — will be one of the more unusual comebacks in recent Indian domestic history: a bowler stepping back onto the field while facing charges that could end his career entirely.
