Yash Dayal's Redemption: From Schoolkids' 'Rinku Singh' Taunts To India Call-Up

For nearly one year, Chanderpal Dayal would avoid venturing out of his residence near Allahabad's Karbala Masjid in the afternoon. The reason was both weird and hurtful. There would be school buses that would pass through his locality and children peeking out of the window would start hooting "Riinnnkuuuu Siiiinghhhhh, Riiiinnnkuuuuu Siiiinghhhh, five sixes, five sixes,", a stern reminder of his son Yash's ordeal during that fateful evening in Ahmedabdad when his Uttar Pradesh's statemate got instant stardom and subsequently a national call-up hitting him for five sixes in a final over of an IPL game between Gujarat Titans and KKR.

"Humare liye woh ek hadsa tha (It was like an accident for us)," Chanderpal, a retired officer with Accountant General's Office in Allahabad's voice choked while recalling those days in 2023.

"The school bus would pass by, and kids would scream, ‘Rinku Singh, Rinku Singh, five sixes.' It was so painful -- why did this have to happen to my son?” he could barely hide his tears.

But sport is indeed a great leveller, and for the Dayal family, Yash's redemption arc is a stuff of legends as he received his maiden Test call-up against Bangladesh in Chennai starting September 19.

Yash has completed the cycle of Fame Game -- from being a cannon fodder for professional trolls to being considered a better bet than two white ball India internationals -- Khaleel Ahmed and Arshdeep Singh in terms of being a potent Test bowler.

And who wouldn't agree that Test cricket is the real deal? T20 is still a delicious desert but Test cricket is mouth watering "mutton keema", a dish which is Yash's favourite and something his family devoured while celebrating his maiden national call-up.

But some 15 months back,