Abhishek Porel managed to make the most of the impact substitution rule that became the subject of discussion ©BCCI
Twenty-year-old Abhishek Porel was the man to fill in for Delhi Capitals. He was brought in as a replacement for Rishabh Pant after his horrific car accident. He continued this season after being retained, despite not setting the stage on fire, with just 33 runs in four outings. The 2023 season offered precious little in terms of what Porel could bring to the table, apart from being a back-up wicket-keeper for India.
What pushed his stock further was the Impact Player rule, which was rightly criticized for stunting the growth of Indian all-rounders. One of the few beneficiaries, however, of this rule this season was Porelli, who started in the second game of the season. Coming in at No. 9 with DC set unsteadily at just 138/7, Porel had 17 balls left in the innings to make the impact he was called upon to make. He needed just 10, six of which were boundaries, as he smashed an unbeaten 32.
This is one of the two innings that Porelli, speaking to Cricbuzz, lists as his favorites of the season.‘You can do it’ (You can do it) they said on the way out. Like the spectators, Porel was also surprised. “Suddenly they told me that I was going in. I was prepared to get a chance, but then I was told that I would not fit the team’s adjustment for the place,” Porelli recalled. “When the fences started coming down, they told me to catch up.”
It was this knock that, despite DC’s loss, put Porelli on the way to promotion in the DC order. He played in five different middle-order positions before settling into their opener, where he had other favorite innings and his most recent one – 65 off 36 against Rajasthan Royals. “Getting fifty for the first time on such a big stage feels special.”
Earlier, he had missed the mark twice – caught behind and facing spinners 42 and 36. A chat with Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly then helped to get the details right.
“I was going towards the spinners and coming out caught or caught back. I spoke to both of them before the Rajasthan game. They told me to wait for the loose balls and not jump on the spinners early. The length is still short in T20s and I can use that, which I had in mind and used in the Rajasthan game.
But these conversations aren’t always technical. For example, some of Porelli’s advice from Ricky Ponting is about the confidence he instills in him as a player. “Ricky SirVery sincere as a friend. He even told me in preseason camp that I looked a lot better than last season. He’s constantly giving me confidence, telling me I’m playing well, and he’s playing for me. [in the match].
“Before every match he would say something to you – ‘You’re the best, you’re hitting so well, you’re in great contact.’
This is not something Porel can lack. He doesn’t mind wearing flashy shirts or dyeing his hair blonde just because it makes him feel good. There is a streak of rebellion in Porel that drives him to cricket even when his father prefers the likes of kabaddi. Porelli and his brother are the only cricketers in the family. Abhishek accidentally became a keeper in the Under-14 game when there was a shortage of players and had to give up his dreams of becoming a fast bowler.
Those dreams have now taken the shape of becoming a ‘Test cricketer’ thanks to his Delhi Capitals captain’s exploits Down Under.
“When Rishabh Bhai went to Australia to play a match, he had a feeling that ‘if I do this, how do I feel’, then I was fascinated that he will play the main red ball and Test. His respect is different. Because no one can play Test because the ball Moves, you have to be very technical only then you can survive.. (When Rishabh scored a hundred in Australia, I started thinking how it would be like to do something like that. That’s when I got the fascination of becoming a Test player. The respect you get for it is something else. (Since not everyone can play Tests, you need to be technically strong to survive the swing of the ball.)
Transitioning between formats and balancing form within them was a challenge for some cricketers before Porela. But he insists he makes sure he adequately prepares for each one.
“If I have a total of ten strikes, I only have to play six in red-ball cricket to get to a hundred because the ball is moving. And in T20s, if I have ten strikes, I will. To play 12 overs to get a hundred, you have to keep doing something,” – he thinks.
“When you play red-ball cricket, you have to be patient to play well and read the game well at the same time,” he explains. “I can calmly judge what shots I can play, analyze what is best to hit the rim without risk. After the game, I will come here. [to T20s] Focus helps. Peace remains [You become calm].
Porelli says he knows his game, which has helped him become a better T20 player. “I know what my game is. I play the same cut, cover drive, pull and play in red-ball cricket as well. It’s the same shots I play here in T20s. I know I can’t go in straight away. And play the reverse sweep maybe. A pacer like Surya bhai not only hits the bowler but also the bowler. Because it’s not my game (I can’t play bold strokes like Suryakumar Yadav because it’s not my game).
The know-how and mature head on the young shoulders is perhaps another reason why Ponting does not shy away from offering high praise for a player who is still earning his stripes.
“I’ve seen extreme growth in Abhishek Porel. I looked at the start of last season after Rishabh Pant’s accident, we needed a couple of goalkeepers in the team after the auction. We tried a lot of guys, a lot. Guys older than Porel, but the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew he was very special The talent has been there and I think what we’ve seen in the last dozen games is really starting to shine through as to what IPL cricket is all about.
“I think he’s a very, very good young player. He’s someone who I think has a really bright future.”
© Crickbuzz
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