Abishek Porel is one of the livelier characters in the Bengal dressing room. He jokes with teammates, tests their perfumes on himself, and often walks onto the field humming songs. But once the game begins, the wicketkeeper-batter switches into a different gear.
Only three seasons into senior domestic cricket, the 22-year-old has already become a proactive presence for Bengal — supporting captain Anustup Mazumdar with angles and staying vocal behind the stumps. “It’s been a while since we played with the red ball. Before this, we mostly practiced indoors, so it’s a big opportunity to find rhythm,” Porel told Sportstar during the Buchi Babu Invitational in Chennai.
His start, however, was far from ideal. After a patient 39 in the first innings against Haryana, he was caught behind while chasing a wide ball. Promoted to open in a tricky fourth-innings chase of 265 in 45 overs, he lasted only 16 balls before holing out to long-on. “I usually go back and think about my dismissals – what I executed, what I didn’t. It’s important to learn which shot wasn’t needed and improve,” he said.
For all his early success in white-ball cricket, Porel concedes he’s yet to crack the First-Class format. He scored 85 runs in five innings for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy last season.
“In red-ball, I need more patience; it’s important in multi-day games. I don’t think I am doing that well. At 22, I’m not satisfied enough. I need to do more,” Porel, who has scored 1,324 runs in 29 First-Class games, admitted.
Where he has impressed is in the Indian Premier League. Picked up by Delhi Capitals in 2022, Porel made his debut a year later and was retained for the successive seasons. In 2024, he featured in all 14 matches, scoring 327 runs and earning praise from then-coach Ricky Ponting, who called him “a very special talent.” Ahead of IPL 2025, DC retained him for Rs. 4 crore — a sharp rise from his base deal of Rs 20 lakhs for the previous three seasons.
In 2025, he was the side’s second-leading run-getter with 301 runs in 14 innings. The attention, though, has not made him complacent.
“I’ve been performing well in the IPL and white-ball cricket, and that’s why people have started recognising me. But, I try to stay away from social media. It’s a distraction. I’ve seen many players, even Virat (Kohli) bhai, say the same thing. Cricket gives you everything, that should be the focus,” Porel said.
With age on his side, he is clear about his next goal. “If I keep working in both white and red-ball cricket, the results are up to the selectors. Whatever is in my hands, I’ll keep doing, now and in the future.”
Published on Aug 20, 2025
