Abishek Porel back in Bengal Ranji squad days after bail in sexual offence case

Wicketkeeper-batter returns to state setup ahead of 2026 Ranji Trophy

Delhi Capitals cricketer Abishek Porel has been included in Bengal's senior men's squad for a set of practice matches against Assam at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati, marking his return to the state side after his arrest in a case involving allegations of rape and other sexual offences.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) announced the squad on Tuesday, with Sudip Chatterjee named captain. The Bengal team is scheduled to leave Kolkata on September 30 and return on October 6 as preparations begin for the 2026 Ranji Trophy season.

Porel, who plays for Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, has not featured in competitive cricket since IPL 2026, where he played four matches. The wicketkeeper-batter was arrested by Kolkata Police on August 11 following a complaint filed by a young medical student. The FIR was registered at Magra Police Station on June 30.

Allegations and legal proceedings

The complainant alleged that Porel had sexual relations with her on the promise of marriage. She also accused him of threatening to make intimate photographs of her public and alleged that she was forced into a physical relationship. Porel denied the allegations before his arrest.

The cricketer was booked under 19 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, with most of the charges being non-bailable. Sections of the Information Technology Act were also included in the case. Porel spent more than a month in jail before being granted bail on September 18 in cases including rape and having sexual relations on the promise of marriage.

The legal proceedings had come before the Calcutta High Court on August 11, when Magra Police informed Justice Sougat Bhattacharyya about Porel's arrest. He was subsequently produced before the Chinsurah court, where the judge directed the police to examine electronic devices in his possession. Police later arrested another friend of Porel as well as the woman complainant in connection with the case.

Porel's selection in the Bengal squad comes just over a week after he was granted bail and puts him back in the state setup ahead of the new domestic season.

Bengal squad

Sudip Chatterjee (Captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Ankur Paul, Ankit Shukla, Sumanta Gupta, Subham Chatterjee, Abishek Porel (W.K.), Shakir Habib Gandhi (W.K.), Pradipta Pramanik, Karan Lal, Aamir Gani, Soummyadip Mandal, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Md. Kaif, Geet Puri, and Ishan Porel.