New Delhi, March 16 : Life in the last 12 months has been on a brilliant upswing for young wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel, who came into IPL fold as a replacement for Rishabh Pant in 2023 season. Last year this time, with the return of Pant as DC's wicketkeeper-captain, it felt Porel may not get much game time in the season.

But that changed on its head when he smashed 32 not out off 10 balls after coming in as an impact substitute against Punjab Kings in DC's season opener at Mullanpur, though the score of 174 wasn't enough to kickstart their season with a win.

It was just the start for Porel to become one of DC's breakthrough batters in IPL 2024 ' hitting 36 boundaries while amassing 327 runs in 12 innings, including two match-winning half-centuries in the side's last two games and forming a rollicking opening pair with Jake-Fraser McGurk.

Porel again made headlines by being DC's uncapped retention pick for IPL 2025, as Pant moved on to Lucknow Super Giants. If that wasn't enough, there was his selection for India A tour of Australia and making people take notice of him yet again via a thrilling 170 not out for Bengal in their Vijay Hazare Trophy game against Delhi.

Now with just less than a week ahead of IPL 2025, a clear Porel is back with another target: to get better than where he was last year and help DC get their first championship win. 'In the last 12 months, I have focused on my game. I have focused more on my mental strength. The game has gone too far in cricket, as seen from the way it is going forward. So, according to that, I am looking at myself and how much I can match with it because this level has gone too far already.'

'The recent domestic cricket season was an important one for me. So, whatever time I get in off-season, I work in NCA, and state unit. Overall, the domestic season has gone well. Now, the new mission is to do better than last year's IPL, and to give the trophy to Delhi. The first match against Punjab Kings last year, I felt that yes, I have delivered for the team and I can do it again,' said Porel while responding to an IANS query in a round-table chat organised by the franchise on Sunday.

Being in a team with three other keepers isn't easy, but Porel revealed he was just waiting to perform whenever the chance came to bat in IPL 2024, irrespective of where it was either at the top of the order or in the middle order. 'It was totally of the mental side, because I was waiting for the chance. It's because I was hungry for it and that this platform has come after knowing where I have come from (Chandannagar, a city in Hooghly district of West Bengal).'

'After that, when I was given this opportunity, with the backing from the DC staff that time, I had it in me that wherever I bat, I have to perform. I was playing with this mentality. But the opportunity that I got from DC, it is a life-changing moment for me and I am very thankful for that.'

That Porel is a keen observer of his game and is blessed with a growth mindset is evident from how he talks about the improvement in his six-hitting capabilities and not being totally dependent on it, as well as going through drills to improve his play against spinners for IPL 2025.

'To be honest, I look at my game and see where am I? Like, my hitting ability from two years ago, it has increased a little. So, for that, I got strength training by talking to the trainer. Whatever I feel individually, if I do something specific, I will get the improvement. Now, I have strength. I am capable of hitting sixes. I don't do power hitting specifically. I know what my game is. So, I am more dependent on my game, and I go ahead with that.'

'Last year, I had less strike rate against spinners. I tried after the IPL for improving it by doing some drills. In practice, I focused more on how to play against spinners ' like how can I beat them and by how much strike rate can I play against them in the middle overs. It will be useful for the future.'

In DC's ongoing practice camp in their home city, Porel hasn't been told about where he would bat, considering the team also has KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis in their ranks. At the same time, he's delighted with Axar Patel being made the captain and how he's got good freedom from the Hemang Badani-led revamped coaching staff.

'First of all, it's good that Axar has got the chance to be the captain, because he has been playing for DC for the last 3-4 years. So, he knows the environment and it will be good for us as well. As a big brother, he is funny off the field as well, and is equally focused on the field. So, I'm really excited to play under his captaincy. Hopefully, we will win the trophy.'

'It's almost the same kind of freedom I get from the new support staff, as it was previously. They are very frank. Whatever I do and I like doing, that is left to me. Where I have to work or not, or where I have to strengthen myself, they have been very frank with it and there's been no issues as such.'

If Porel becomes DC's regular keeper, he will have the challenge of varying his keeping against the express pace of Mitchell Starc, accuracy of Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma and T Natarajan, as well as the guile and variations of Axar and Kuldeep Yadav.

Though Porel is well-prepared for the keeping challenge, it also helps him that he has a great connection with former stumper Wriddhiman Saha. 'I have a good bonding with Wriddhi bhai from three-four years now. I spoke to Wriddhi bhai after my Ranji Trophy debut. If there is any problem, I call him anytime and he speaks easily.'

For now, Porel's journey from a wide-eyed rookie coming in as a replacement player to being a DC regular and being on national selection radar has been a fascinating one. One would hope that IPL 2025 would be witness to another chapter in Porel's steadily rising graph, even as he aims to get the right feel with the bat in practice sessions in Delhi and later in Visakhapatnam.

'I am all set, and just waiting for the tournament to start. I have done what I had to do in the off-season. My motto in the practice session right now is timing the ball, and focus has also been towards the feel of ball touching the middle of the bat. I want to stay in touch as much as possible and stay in my zone.'

/IANS