GT pacer Yash Dayal opens up on Ashish Nehra's role and impact

Gujarat Titans (GT) fast bowler Yash Dayal has opened up about the role and impact of head coach Ashish Nehra in his successful debut season in the IPL 2022.

In the first season, the new franchise, Gujarat Titans, won the IPL 2022 title at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 29), defeating Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets in the final.

Many people in the Titans change room, including mentor Gary Kirsten and Hardik Pandya, have already talked about Nehra's influence on the team. In an interview with India News, Dayal talked about the same.

"I would only like to say that Ashish [Nehra] Sir is like a blessing for me, he is like a fatherly figure. Ashish sir's talks had so much effect on me, when other people used to see me and him talk, they used to say that Ashish sir sees himself in me when he was young," Yash Dayal said.

Dayal talked about the interactions and the advice that he used to receive from the 2011 World Cup winner, that helped him during the entirety of the tournament.

"He didn't use to put much pressure mentally. He used to say that whatever I have done earlier in the Syed Mushtaq Ali, I have to do the same thing here, just that the exposure is a little more here," the left-arm pacer added.

"He said that you have done everything for such things only, so just go and express yourself, that you will not get a better platform than this, and it is very important to enjoy this thing," added Dayal.

"The only thing he says is that once you have picked up the ball, you shouldn't look back. Apart from the team practice, he used to come specially to get me to bowl in the nets separately. I have not heard in any franchise a coach giving so much time to a player especially," revealed Dayal.

The UP-based cricketer also explained how playing under Former Indian captains like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli helped Hardik Pandya achieve success in his first ever season as the captain in the IPL.

"Hardik Pandya as a captain, extremely cool and composed, a bowler's captain. Whenever you go to him, he is ready to help and that gets reflected in his captaincy as well."

"He has so much experience himself, he has played under Mahi bhaiya (MS Dhoni) and Virat Kohli, he has learnt a lot from that. He is a tremendous captain. A very good friend off the field, friendly behavior, very different from what he is on the screen, extremely chilled out," added Dayal.

Dayal was an integral part of the Titans' title-winning season in the Indian Premier League. He bowled an excellent three-over spell of 1/18 in the title decider against the Rajasthan Royals to help GT become the IPL 2022 champions in their maiden campaign.