Bengal Pick Abhishek Porel For Ranji Trophy Opener Days After Bail In Sexual Assault Case
Controversial wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel was officially included in Bengal's Ranji Trophy squad on Wednesday, setting the stage for their season opener against Delhi. Porel's inclusion comes days after he was granted bail in a rape case. The squad, led by captain Abhimanyu Easwaran, is slated to face Delhi in an Elite Group C match at Kalyani's Bengal Cricket Academy Ground.
The decision to host the season opener at Kalyani follows a venue change from Kolkata's renowned Eden Gardens. Eden Gardens is scheduled to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Durga Puja festivities, commencing with Mahalaya on October 10. This logistical shift ensures the smooth execution of both the cricket fixture and the significant cultural event.
The 16-member Bengal squad boasts a mix of experienced and emerging talent. It features senior India pacer Mohammed Shami, along with Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep. Akash Deep is noted to be on a comeback trail, eager to demonstrate his fitness and form ahead of the upcoming New Zealand tour. The full playing squad includes Abhimanyu Easwaran (c), Sudip Kumar Gharami (vc), Sudip Chatterjee, Abhishek Porel (wk), Ankur Paul, Sumanta Gupta, Ankit Shukla, Subham Chatterjee, Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Md. Kaif, and Soummyadip Mandal. Six stand-by players were also named: Karan Lal, Akhilesh Yadav, Geet Puri, Abhishek KR. Raman, Subham Sarkar, Sumit Mohanta, and Aditya Purohit.
Bengal and Delhi are grouped in Elite Group C, alongside six other state teams: Gujarat, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Services. The opening match at Kalyani will mark the beginning of Bengal’s campaign in this competitive group.
What to watch: Porel's performance and Bengal's start to the Ranji Trophy season.
Editor's note: The draft accurately synthesizes all key facts from the source, including the squad composition and context for the venue change.
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