Delhi Capitals are reportedly considering signing Bengal’s Abishek Porel as a replacement for injured wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, according to ESPNcricinfo.
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Following a week of match simulation exercises, Delhi Capitals are likely to bring Porel on board, while Sarfaraz Khan is expected to be the first-choice wicketkeeper. Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2023 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1.
The decision to sign Porel, which has not yet been officially confirmed, comes after a series of training matches during a week-long training camp in New Delhi.
Porel, along with three other uncapped wicketkeepers – Sheldon Jackson, Luvnith Sisodia, and Vivek Singh – participated in match simulation drills under the supervision of the Capitals’ coaching staff, led by director of cricket Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting.
Porel recently completed his first full domestic cricket season with Bengal, where he showcased his skills behind the stumps but experienced difficulties in scoring consistently across formats.
He managed 22 runs in three Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy games, including an unbeaten 20, while his first-class cricket record includes six half-centuries in 26 innings with a high score of 73.
Despite signing Porel, the team is keen to try Sarfaraz Khan as the wicketkeeper, as he has demonstrated excellent batting form in the past three domestic seasons.
Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL 2023 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1.
2023 Delhi Capitals IPL Schedule Squad:
David Warner (c), Rishabh Pant, Yash Dhull, Sarfaraz Khan, Manish Pandey, Rovman Powell, Rilee Rossouw, Prithvi Shaw, Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Ripal Patel, Axar Patel, Philip Salt, Khaleel Ahmed, Aman Hakim Khan, Praveen Dubey, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Mustafizur Rahman, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vicky Ostwal, Chetan Sakariya and Ishant Sharma