The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has named wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel in its squad for practice matches ahead of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season. The selection, announced on September 29, 2026, marks his return to Bengal’s cricket setup following his release on bail.
Porel, 23, was arrested in August 2026 after a medical student filed a complaint alleging sexual intercourse on the promise of marriage following a relationship of approximately three and a half years. Porel has denied all allegations, and legal proceedings remain ongoing. The CAB has maintained that a player remains eligible for selection while no conviction has been recorded.
Bengal’s Ranji Trophy 2026-27 Elite division campaign is scheduled to begin on October 11, 2026. The practice matches squad is led by Sudip Chatterjee.
Why was Porel left out of Bengal’s earlier squad?
The CAB omitted Porel from its senior probables list announced on August 22, 2026. That decision followed his arrest earlier that month. His inclusion in the practice matches squad now represents his first return to Bengal’s official cricket structure since the case began.
Porel was granted bail by the Chinsurah court on September 18, 2026, after spending more than a month in judicial custody. The CAB’s stated position is that eligibility for selection is not affected by pending legal proceedings where no conviction exists. Porel’s reinstatement is consistent with that policy, though the legal case continues before the courts.
What are Porel’s domestic and IPL credentials?
Porel has established a strong record across formats at the domestic level. In first-class cricket, he has scored 1,408 runs in 32 matches at an average of 31.28, with 1 century and 12 fifties. His List A numbers are equally impressive: 833 runs in 23 matches at an average of 43.84, including 2 centuries and 5 fifties.
In the IPL, Porel has accumulated 769 runs in 35 matches at a strike rate of 145.37, with 4 fifties and a highest score of 65, representing Delhi Capitals. In IPL 2026, he scored 108 runs across 4 matches.
Bengal full squad for Ranji Trophy 2026-27 practice matches
Sudip Chatterjee (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ankur Paul, Ankit Shukla, Sumanta Gupta, Subham Chatterjee, Abishek Porel (WK), Shakir Habib Gandhi (WK), Pradipta Pramanik, Karan Lal, Aamir Gani, Soumyadip Mandal, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Md. Kaif, Geet Puri, Ishan Porel.
