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Jailed for over a month for alleged rape and criminal intimidation case, Bengal wicketkeeper Abishek Porel is out on bail and playing in the Ranji Trophy 2026-27. Porel got emotional as he scored a century in Bengal’s opening match of the season. The young southpaw is now being touted for big things by Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla. The coach chose not to make any comment on the ongoing case in court. He considers Porel a promising talent. The former all-rounder made a prediction about Porel, similar to the one he once made for legendary India captain MS Dhoni while talking to WV Raman, the former India women’s team head coach.
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“He is a good player. His court case is currently ongoing, and we believe in justice. At times, there is miscommunication. I won't comment on who is right or wrong (in this case). I feel Porel is a big talent. Our former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly rates him very highly. He is currently in the Delhi Capitals squad,” Shukla said in an exclusive conversation with Sports Tak.
“He is a unique talent; that much I can tell you. Several years ago, I told our former coach WV Raman that MS Dhoni is a huge talent when he played under my captaincy for East Zone. I had told him that Dhoni was going to be a big player. And now I am telling you that Porel has the quality in him to excel.
“A person makes mistakes in life. The court will decide and pass judgment. In my opinion, he is a very honourable person. His future will be bright.”
When was Abishek Porel arrested?
Porel was arrested on August 11 after a young medical student accused him of having sexual relations on the pretext of marriage. He was booked under Sections 64(1), 66, 69, 74, 75(2), 79, 115(2), 117(2), 124, 127(2), 109(1), 308(2), 351(2), 351(3), 316(2), 318(3), 61(2) and 3(5), along with Sections 66E and 72 of the IT Act. Most of these charges were non-bailable.
After the arrest, he was produced before the Chinsurah court, where Justice Sougat Bhattacharyya told the police to inspect his electronic devices.
The court noted that "having considered the respective submissions made on behalf of the parties and taking note of the contents of the communication dated 6th July, 2026, it appears that accused persons being respondent nos.6 & 7 are required to be apprehended for seizure of electronic devices lying with them so that data stored therein cannot be shared with others.
"Concerned police authorities are directed to continue with their endeavour to apprehend respondent nos.6 & 7 and to make seizure of devices so obnoxious data stored therein shall not be further disseminated."
Earlier, an FIR was registered against Porel at Mogra Police Station. The complainant had accused Porel of threatening to leak her intimate photos and of sexual assault.
Porel has denied all charges against him. During the Bengal Pro T20 League, he had said that these allegations have come to light since he is doing well on the cricket field.
Porel’s comeback
Porel's previous competitive cricket appearance before the ongoing Ranji season was in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 when he played against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). On his return to the field, he scored 149 runs from 228 balls against Delhi. Porel got emotional after reaching the three-figure mark and broke down in tears after getting to his ton. His and Sudip Kumar Gharami's tons helped Bengal take a 189-run first-innings lead. Bengal beat Delhi by nine wickets, and Porel was adjudged ‘Player of the match’.
In Bengal's previous match against Services, he couldn't make a mark in the low-scoring contest. He registered scores of 7 and 25. Porel will be back in action against Kerala in their next match, which begins on October 26.
Will Porel get retained by DC?
Sourav Ganguly, the newly-appointed head coach of Delhi Capitals (DC), has rated Porel highly. Should DC choose to retain Porel, he will have the opportunity to work with their new batting coach, legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.
Porel was retained as an uncapped player by DC for Rs 4 crore. He was retained for the 2026 edition as well. Despite KL Rahul showing faith and lauding him for his ability, Porel got just four games in IPL 2026, including a game where the team suffered a collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He scored 108 runs at a strike rate of 122.72. His only fifty of the season came against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a successful run chase at home.
With Rishabh Pant roped back via trade with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Rahul already in the team, Porel is unlikely to keep wickets.
The deadline to announce the list of retained and released players is November 15.
Porel's record in domestic cricket
The 24-year-old has played 34 first-class games so far. The hundred against Delhi was his 12th in the format. He has scored 1,589 runs from 53 innings, averaging 33.10. He has 12 half-centuries to his name in red-ball cricket as well.
He has appeared in 23 List A games and scored 833 runs from 21 innings. He averages 43.84 and strikes at 95.63 in the One-Day format. He has two tons and five fifties. His high score is an unbeaten 170 against Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 match in Hyderabad.
In T20s, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and the IPL, he has played 61 games. In 59 innings, he has scored 1,590 runs, averaging 30. His strike rate is 151.86. While he is yet to score his maiden T20 century, he has crossed the fifty-run mark 11 times in the fast-paced format.
In IPL cricket, he has played only for DC. He made his IPL debut in the 2023 edition, playing just four games. In 35 games, he has scored 769 runs at an average of 25.63 and a strike rate of 145.36. He has four fifties in his IPL career.
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