Abishek Porel may not be grabbing headlines with massive scores, but his consistent contributions at the top of the order have made him Delhi Capitals' (DC) second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2025, just behind KL Rahul. With 225 runs in eight innings, Porel has quietly become a vital cog in DC’s batting unit, crediting his success to a deep understanding of his own game — and the unwavering support of the coaching staff.
"I know my game, and the support staff knows my game," Porel said after DC’s win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Tuesday. "They know what I can and can’t do. They always encourage me to bat with freedom and not worry about failure. That belief gives me confidence."
The season didn't begin smoothly for Porel, who was dismissed for a duck in the opening match. As one of DC's four retained players alongside Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Tristan Stubbs, the pressure was on. But he credits the leadership group — head coach Hemang Badani, mentor Kevin Pietersen, captain Axar, and KL Rahul — for helping him bounce back.
"I was feeling the pressure after the first game," he admitted. "But Hemang sir, KP, Axar bhai, and KL bhai all backed me. KL reminded me of how I played well against LSG last year, and that really motivated me. When you have people like Kuldeep bhai telling you, 'You’re a good batter, your timing is superb,' it means a lot. Even when I wasn’t backing myself, they were backing me."
Porel has quietly delivered in various roles, especially since being promoted to open in the last four matches amid the absence of Faf du Plessis and poor form of Jake Fraser-McGurk. His recent scores — 51 (36) against LSG, 18 (9) vs GT, 49 (37) vs RR, 33 (25) vs MI — have all come at a healthy strike rate of 146.10. While it’s a notch below his 159.51 strike rate from last season, he’s offering stability and intent at the top, something DC needed badly.
Beyond the IPL, Porel harbors long-term dreams too. “Of course, the goal is to represent India one day and play at the highest level for many years,” he said. “But right now, the focus is on winning the IPL trophy with DC. That’s what matters the most at the moment — how I can help the team lift that title.”
Grounded, focused, and backed by a tight-knit team around him, Porel is slowly but surely making his mark — and perhaps building a case for even greater things ahead.