Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel is eager to replicate his white-ball success in red-ball cricket and has been following Virat Kohli’s advice to stay away from distractions such as social media.
Porel has been on the scene since IPL 2023, when he was brought into the team as Rishabh Pant’s replacement, thanks to Sourav Ganguly, who played a key role in his inclusion. The southpaw scored 360 runs at a strike rate of over 150 across 18 matches in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
In 2025, the wicketkeeper-batter was the second-highest run-scorer for his team, amassing 301 runs in 14 innings. His clean strokeplay, combined with his wicketkeeping abilities, makes him a valuable asset.
“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 told Sportstar.
While his stock has risen in white-ball cricket, Porel has struggled to make a similar impact in first-class cricket. Last year, he played in the Duleep Trophy and was part of the India A squad for the red-ball tour of Australia. However, this year, he was neither selected for the East Zone squad for the Duleep Trophy nor included in the India A squad for the tour of England.
“In red-ball cricket, I need more patience; it’s important in multi-day games. I don’t think I’m doing that well. At 22, I’m not satisfied. I need to do more,” admitted Porel, who averages 32.29 in first-class cricket.
At 22, Porel has age on his side and is determined to keep working hard until he earns his India cap.
“If I keep working in both white- and red-ball formats, the results are up to the selectors. Whatever is in my hands, I’ll continue doing — now and in the future.”
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