A major development in domestic cricket has cleared the way for fast bowler Yash Dayal to re-enter competitive action despite ongoing legal entanglements. The cricketer, who faces criminal charges involving rape and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act across two separate jurisdictions, has been included in the Uttar Pradesh Ranji Trophy preparatory camp. The move has reignited conversations around player eligibility during ongoing criminal trials.
Selection eligibility cleared by state association
Ankit Chatterjee, chief executive officer of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association, confirmed that Yash Dayal remains eligible for selection in the state squad for the ongoing campaign. The decision marks a visible shift from the state body's stance taken in August 2025, when the bowler was removed from the UP T20 League in the wake of criminal complaints filed in Ghaziabad and Jaipur.
Averted transfer to Chhattisgarh
Following his exclusion from domestic engagements last year, the fast bowler faced an uncertain future in the state setup. Seeking a fresh start, Dayal requested a no-objection certificate from the state cricket governing body to participate in the domestic circuit representing Chhattisgarh. However, association administrators intervened and offered assurances regarding his playing prospects for the home state. Reassured by that dialogue, the pacer put his intended inter-state transfer on hold.
The initial complaint lodged in Ghaziabad
The cricketer's legal troubles surfaced in July 2025 with the filing of an FIR in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. A woman alleged that the bowler subjected her to sexual exploitation on the false pretext of marriage, stating they had shared a five-year relationship. The fast bowler strongly rejected the assertions, contending that the association was entirely consensual and claiming that the allegations were an extortion effort orchestrated to capitalize on his Indian Premier League prominence.
POCSO case registered in Jaipur
While the first case was underway, a second complaint was registered against Dayal in Jaipur, Rajasthan, invoking provisions of the POCSO Act. The complainant accused the bowler of repeated sexual assault involving a minor during 2023 and again in April 2025. Evaluating the gravity of the allegations, the Rajasthan High Court in August 2025 declined to grant interim protection from potential detention or arrest.
Procedural stay granted by Allahabad High Court
A degree of relief arrived in July this year in connection with the Ghaziabad case. A single-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kumar Pachori at the Allahabad High Court stayed the proceedings pending in the lower trial court. Despite this procedural pause, no court has cleared or exonerated the bowler of the underlying charges, and both criminal proceedings remain active before the judiciary.
