NEWS
Follow UsThe 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) witnessed the breakthrough of Abishek Porel, with the 21-year-old hammering 327 runs at a strike rate of 159.51 for Delhi Capitals (DC), predominantly batting at the top of the order.
The left-hander stormed into the spotlight in IPL 2024, but he is still very much a greenhorn, having only played two full seasons of professional cricket to date. The 21-year-old from Bengal, thus, still has a long way to go before reaching the top, but when it comes to Porel, there is no paucity of ambition.
"I aim to play all three formats for India - and play regularly,” Porel told ESPNcricinfo.
“If I get 1000 runs in first-class cricket for two seasons in a row, and hit 500-600 runs in the IPL, I believe a door will certainly open for me."
The breakthrough in IPL 2024, in many ways, came as a surprise. The left-hander played in IPL 2023 and had a very ordinary campaign overall, averaging just 8.25. Prior to IPL 2024, in fact, Porel’s average in T20 cricket read just 22.82, with him having just two fifty-plus scores under his belt.
But IPL 2024 saw the young left-hander realize his potential, amassing 327 runs while passing the 30-run mark six times in the 14 innings he batted. Porel revealed that he was emboldened by valuable words of encouragement from both head coach Ricky Ponting and captain Rishabh Pant.
"Ponting said, 'Just believe in yourself.' When a legend like him motivates you, then obviously you are moved,” Porel said.
"Pant also told me, 'Tu kar sakta hai [You can do it]'. Personally, I also felt like I just had to perform this time."
The youngster credited DC and Sourav Ganguly with making him the player he is today. When Porel was snapped up by DC as a replacement player for Rishabh Pant last year, he only had three T20s and three List A games under his belt.
“Once I was in Delhi, Ponting, Sourav [Ganguly, director of cricket] sir and Shane Watson [assistant coach] were guiding us nicely, and treating me like one of their own. If there is anyone who knows me today, it is because of DC and Sourav sir,” Porel said.
Porel was not supposed to be a starter for DC in IPL 2024 in a team full of wicket-keepers, and he started the season on the bench. But he grabbed his opportunity in the Capitals’ very first game of the season after being drafted in as an emergency impact player, hammering 32* off 10 balls walking in at No.9.
He held on to his place thanks to that knock and then managed to find a regular spot at the top of the order for the side, taking the spot of the injured David Warner.
"I was just prepared for the opportunity," Porel said, recalling his IPL 2024 experience.
"The fight was always with myself, because it is me who is my competitor. I knew that if I performed well, I would be able to keep my place."
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