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Abhishek Porel returns to the team after prison release
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Aaj Tak
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Abhishek Porel returns to the team after prison release

Young wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel, who plays for Delhi Capitals in the IPL, has received significant news: he is returning to the sports arena after being incarcerated. Porel, who faced serious rape charges, has once again taken the field.

The Bengal Cricket Association (CAB) announced the senior men's squad for Bengal's training matches against Assam. Notably, Abhishek Porel's name was included in this list. The team, led by Sudip Chatterjee, will travel from Kolkata to Guwahati for training games at the ACE stadium on September 30th and return on October 6th.

Abhishek Porel was arrested by the Kolkata police on August 11th. He was accused of rape and threats made to a medical student who claimed he had given her false promises of marriage. After his arrest, Porel was under judicial custody for about four weeks. However, after securing bail in court on September 18th, he was released from prison and is now returning directly to the cricket field.

When Abhishek Porel was detained in August, CAB excluded him from the list of potential players before the season. Nevertheless, following his release on bail and considering the long Ranji Trophy season, the selection committee decided to bring him back to the team. The Bengal team needed an experienced and specialized wicketkeeper for multi-day format matches, so Porel was reinstated to regain his sporting form.

Despite Abhishek Porel securing a spot in the Bengal team, his legal cases are not yet concluded, and the trial is ongoing. Consequently, his career in the IPL and the Delhi Capitals franchise remain under the shadow of these legal issues. Given the strict rules of the BCCI and the value of the franchise brand, his future participation in the IPL will entirely depend on court decisions and his athletic performance.

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Rishabh Pant leads Rest of India team, Sarfaraz Khan appointed vice-captain ahead of Iranian Cup
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www.aajtak.in

Rishabh Pant leads Rest of India team, Sarfaraz Khan appointed vice-captain ahead of Iranian Cup

Rishabh Pant was unable to make the Indian squad for the ODI series against West Indies, so his focus is now on the Iranian Cup. He has been entrusted to captain the Rest of India team. The first match, scheduled for October 1st in Srinagar, will be played between Rest of India and the Ranji Trophy champion from Jammu and Kashmir for the 2025-26 season.

Pant will not only lead the team but also serve as the wicketkeeper. This means that after a long break, he will take on a leadership role in a first-class match.

Sarfaraz Khan has been named the vice-captain of the Rest of India team. Additionally, fast bowler Akash Dip has been included in the 15-man squad, although his participation is contingent on his health. Akash Dip last participated in a competition in February, representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals. Following this, he struggled with a lower back injury, which prevented him from playing the entire IPL 2026 season and also caused his absence from matches for India.

The Iranian Cup could offer an opportunity for his return to competitive cricket, but he must first undergo a medical examination.

Selectors have also included players who demonstrated outstanding performances in last season's Ranji tournament. Four batsmen who scored the most runs in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy have been selected for the Rest of India. Aash Rasmaran scored 950 runs, Ayush Dosija scored 949, Sannat Sangwan scored 828, and Sudip Kumar Garami scored 797.

These four have secured spots in the 15-man squad. Batsman Shikhar Mohan from Jharkhand is also part of the team; he scored the most runs for Jharkhand in the previous Ranji season. Furthermore, he played innings of 85 and 52 runs in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy final.

Mukesh Kumar and Mukesh Choudhary will handle the batting line for Rest of India. Manav Sutar and Saransh Jain will be the primary options in the spin department. Anukul Roy has also joined the team, having made significant contributions to both batting and bowling in East Zone's victory in the Duleep Trophy.

Manav Sutar's recent performance has been impressive: he took 23 wickets in his first three Test matches, including one match with 10 wickets. He also scored 79 runs across four innings in batting. Saransh Jain debuted in international cricket in the second match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, where he took three wickets. His domestic cricket statistics are also strong: Jain took only 51 wickets over two Ranji seasons. He was also recently part of the Central Zone team in the Duleep Trophy.

Who will be the backup wicketkeeper alongside Pant?

Aryan Jual has been included in the squad as a backup wicketkeeper for Pant. This match is particularly important for Pant, as after missing the ODI series against West Indies, he will attempt to regain his form with red balls. Captaining the Rest of India team is also an added responsibility for him. The team includes several players who performed well in recent domestic tournaments.

The Iranian Cup is traditionally viewed as an important fixture before the start of the new Ranji season. After this match, the new Ranji Trophy season will commence on October 11th.

Rest of India squad: Rishabh Pant (Captain, Wicketkeeper), Sannat Sangwan, Shikhar Mohan, Sudip Garami, Sarfaraz Khan (Vice-Captain), Aash Rasmaran, Manav Sutar, Saransh Jain, Akash Dip*, Mukesh Kumar, Mukesh Choudhary, Aryan Jual (Wicketkeeper), Aryan Pandey, Anukul Roy, Ayush Dosija. *Akash Dip's selection will be based on his health condition.

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