Cricket

Cricket   |   March 30, 2023

IPL 2023: Delhi Capitals set to announce Abhishek Porel as Rishabh Pant’s replacement

2020 IPL finalists Delhi Capitals have selected a replacement player for injured captain Rishabh Pant, with Abhishek Porel set to join the side for the duration of the season, if reports are to be believed. Porel was selected on the basis of his performances during a week-long selection camp prior to the start of the tournament. While the announcement has not yet been made, Porel has apparently come out on top against three other players in the training camp in New Delhi who were also in the running for the position. 

The players who were shortlisted to cover for the Capitals skipper were reportedly subjected to a series of match situation drills in the selection camp. Porel was part of a group of four uncapped wicketkeeper batsmen, including veteran domestic player Sheldon Jackson, former RCB signee Luvnith Sisodia, and Vivek Singh. The players, as per reports, were under the watchful supervision of Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting, and former BCCI President and DC Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly. Enhance your IPL viewing experience with attractive betting odds from NextBet.

Although his scores in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament have not been as impressive as the Capitals would have liked, Porel has won over the selectors with his skill behind the stumps. The Bengal star is believed to have been selected purely on the basis of his glovework, as his outings with the bat have yielded just 22 runs in the Mushtaq Ali tournament. His first-class record is a shade better, having six half-centuries in 26 innings. 

The reasoning behind Porel’s acquisition seems to suggest that the Bengal player could be only a backup option, with domestic behemoth Sarfaraz Khan being prioritised for the position. The Mumbai star has been elite in his performances in red-ball domestic cricket in the last few years, averaging over 100, while scoring a mountain of runs. However, if wicketkeeping prowess was the only factor considered, perhaps Sheldon Jackson skill, in addition to his vast experience, would have come in handy. 

It remains to be seen how the Capitals will line up, as they play their first game of the tournament against the Lucknow Super Giants on April 1. Get the latest updates from IPL 2023 only on NextBet Sports.