Abhishek Porel bailed in Bengal squad for Ranji Trophy opener against Delhi after rape allegations

ByTech Word News

KOLKATA: Wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel, who was recently granted bail on charges of rape and other sexual offences, has been included in Bengal’s 17-member squad for the Ranji Trophy season opener against Delhi in Kalyani.Porel, who has not played competitive cricket since the end of IPL 2026, was arrested in August following allegations that he had a sexual relationship with a woman under the promise of marriage. He was subsequently released on bail and has now been selected for Bengal’s Elite Group C opener, with Abhimanyu Easwaran continuing as captain.The match will be played at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani after Bengal’s season opener shifted from the iconic Eden Gardens. The change of venue comes as Eden Gardens prepares to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the launch of Durga Puja festivities around Mahalaya on October 10.

Abhishek Porel returns to the Bengal squad

Porel’s inclusion comes after he was also named in Bengal’s squad for practice matches in Guwahati last month. At the time, a Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) official told Cricinfo: “His personal and legal matters are his own business. If the situation changes, we will take appropriate action. But there is no problem from our end yet.”Porel was arrested by the Mogra police in Hooghly district on August 11 based on a complaint filed by a medical student from Karnataka. Police said the woman claimed she had been in a relationship with Porel for about three and a half years and that they planned to marry.The police have registered a case under several provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 69, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act. Hooghly (Rural) Superintendent of Police Kunwar Bhushan Singh confirmed Porel’s arrest at the time, saying, “A criminal complaint has been filed against him and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. He was arrested late last night. He will be produced in court today.”

Shami, Akash Deep boost Bengal pace attack

Porel’s inclusion aside, Bengal have named a strong attack for their campaign that includes senior Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep. Akash Deep, who is returning from injury, will be looking to get valuable game time as he looks to regain his rhythm and fitness ahead of India’s tour of New Zealand.Sudip Kumar Gharami was named as Easwaran’s replacement while Shahbaz Ahmed, who sustained an injury during the Duleep Trophy, was left out.Bengal finished top of their group last season before their campaign ended in the semi-finals against eventual champions Jammu and Kashmir.Bengal and Delhi are grouped alongside Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha and Services.

  • Bengal squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), Sudip Kumar Gharami (vice-captain), Sudip Chatterjee, Abishek Porel (wk), Shakir Habib Gandhi (wk), Ankur Paul, Sumanta Gupta, Ankit Shukla, Subham Chatterjee, Mohammed Shami, Akashind Surtadip, Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Md. Kaif, Soummyadip Mandal.
  • Ready: Karan Lal, Akhilesh Yadav, Geet Puri, Abishek Kr. Raman, Subham Sarkar, Sumit Mohanta, Aditya Purohit.