Synopsis
Abishek Porel reflects on his journey from a substitute to a key player for Delhi in IPL 2025, focusing on improving his game and aiming for the trophy. He embraces the challenges ahead and is excited to play under new captain Axar Patel.Key Takeaways
- Abishek Porel aims to exceed his past performance in IPL 2025.
- He focuses on enhancing mental strength and game strategies.
- Porel has shown significant improvement in batting and wicketkeeping skills.
- He expresses excitement about playing under Axar Patel's leadership.
- Porel values the support and training from the DC coaching staff.
New Delhi, March 16 (NationPress) The past year has been remarkably positive for young wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel, who joined the IPL as a substitute for Rishabh Pant during the 2023 season. At this time last year, with Pant returning as DC’s wicketkeeper-captain, it appeared that Porel would have limited opportunities to play this season.
However, everything changed when he scored 32 not out off just 10 balls after coming in as an impact substitute against Punjab Kings in DC’s season opener at Mullanpur, despite the team’s total of 174 not being enough for a win.
This marked the beginning of Porel’s rise as one of DC’s standout batters in IPL 2024, where he hit 36 boundaries and accumulated 327 runs in 12 innings, including two match-winning half-centuries alongside Jake-Fraser McGurk.
Recently, Porel made headlines once again by being retained uncapped by DC for IPL 2025, as Pant transitioned to Lucknow Super Giants. To add to this, he earned selection for the India A tour of Australia and impressed many with a stunning 170 not out for Bengal during the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Delhi.
As the start of IPL 2025 approaches, Porel is clear about his mission: to surpass his performance from last year and to assist DC in clinching their first championship title. “Over the past year, I concentrated on enhancing my game and strengthening my mental resilience. The game has evolved significantly, and I aim to keep pace with its advancements,” he shared.
“The recent domestic cricket season was crucial for my development. Whenever I had time off, I practiced at the NCA and with my state team. Overall, my domestic season was fruitful. Now, my new objective is to outdo last year's IPL and bring the trophy home to Delhi. In our first match against Punjab Kings last year, I felt I had made a significant contribution to the team and I am eager to replicate that,” Porel stated during a round-table discussion hosted by the franchise.
Although being part of a team with three other wicketkeepers poses challenges, Porel mentioned he was prepared to deliver whenever he got the opportunity to bat, whether at the top or in the middle order. “It was primarily a mental game for me, as I awaited my chance. I was eager to seize it, especially given my journey from Chandannagar, a city in Hooghly district of West Bengal.
“When the opportunity presented itself, backed by the DC staff, I knew I had to perform regardless of my batting position. This chance from DC has been transformative for me, and I am extremely grateful for it.”
Porel's ability to analyze his game and his growth mindset are evident in his comments about improving his six-hitting skills without solely relying on them, as well as his drills aimed at enhancing his performance against spinners for IPL 2025.
“Honestly, I evaluate my game continuously. For instance, my hitting capability has improved slightly over the last two years. I engaged in strength training with the trainer. If I focus on specific areas of improvement, I can make strides. Now, I have the strength to hit sixes, but I don’t emphasize power hitting alone. I stay true to my style of play,” he explained.
“Last year, my strike rate against spinners was lower. After IPL, I worked on improving that with specific drills. During practice, I focused on strategies to tackle spinners effectively and how to enhance my strike rate during middle overs, which will be beneficial going forward.”
During DC’s ongoing practice camp in their home city, Porel has not been informed about his batting position, especially with KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis also in the lineup. Nevertheless, he expressed excitement over Axar Patel being appointed captain and appreciated the freedom granted by the revamped coaching staff led by Hemang Badani.
“It’s great that Axar has been appointed captain, as he has been with DC for 3-4 years. He is familiar with the environment, which will benefit us. He is a fun personality off the field but remains focused on the field. I am eager to play under his leadership, and I hope we secure the trophy,” he said.
“I feel the same level of freedom from the new support staff as I did before. They are very approachable. I have the liberty to choose what I like to do, where I need to improve, and they have been candid about it without any issues.”
If Porel becomes the regular keeper for DC, he will face the challenge of adapting his keeping skills to the fast pace of Mitchell Starc, the precision of Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma, and T Natarajan, as well as the skill and variations of Axar and Kuldeep Yadav.
While Porel is prepared for the challenges of wicketkeeping, he also benefits from a strong connection with former stumper Wriddhiman Saha. “I have developed a solid bonding with Wriddhi bhai over the last three to four years. After my Ranji Trophy debut, I consulted him about any issues I faced, and he is always available to help me,” he said.
Currently, Porel’s journey from a novice player stepping in as a substitute to becoming a regular in DC and being on the national selection radar has been remarkable. There is hope that IPL 2025 will mark another milestone in Porel’s rising career, as he aims to fine-tune his batting skills during practice sessions in Delhi and later in Visakhapatnam.
“I am fully prepared and simply awaiting the start of the tournament. I have accomplished what I set out to do in the off-season. My focus during practice sessions is on timing the ball and ensuring a solid connection with the bat. I want to maintain my rhythm and stay within my zone.”
