Kolkata, Bengal pacer Ishan Porel, who bagged a five-wicket haul against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Sunday, said he is happy that they could show a lot of discipline as a unit to get star India batsman K.L. Rahul out for a small score.
Porel-led Bengal pace attack bundled Karnataka for 122 and made light work of their star-studded batting line up which has Rahul, Manish Pandey and Karun Nair. Bengal had made 312 in their first innings and were 72/4 at stumps on Day 2 at Eden Gardens with a lead of 262 runs. Rahul was out after scoring a patient 26.
Porel returned figures of 5/39 in the first innings.
“He (Rahul) is a lot more calm and composed. He has got all the time to play the ball. He faces 140kmph bowling all the time. It was easy for him here,” Porel said of his Kings XI Punjab skipper who is not part of India’s ongoing Test series squad against New Zealand but sizzled with the bat in both ODIs and T20Is.
“He got out to a poor shot because we showed a lot of discipline in our bowling. We are happy that he could not go after us and consumed 67 deliveries for his 26,” said Porel who also plays for India ‘A’.
Porel also revealed that out-of-favour Bengal pacer Ashok Dinda helped him.
“I spoke to him last night and he asked us to bowl in a disciplined way. He told us, ‘don’t try too much, and just bowl in right areas and you will get wickets’,” Porel said.
“It definitely worked. I remembered what he said while bowling. He has so many wickets for Bengal on this wicket and has got a lot more experience,” he added.
The 21-year-old, said it’s not an added pressure on him to lead the young Bengal bowling attack.
“We have been bowling well. If you see the Indian attack they back and applaud each other’s performances. The same thing we are doing here. The hard work we have put in is paying off.”
Bengal had Anustup Majumdar’s unbeaten 149 to thank as they recovered from a top-order collapse to post 312.
Porel joined the side in the quarterfinal after returning from the tour of New Zealand.
“After returning from there, it helped me a lot here with the upright seam in SG ball. It”s helping me altogether after returning from new Zealand,” he said.
“I’m getting more experience after playing 20-odd matches. I’m more confident now to pitch the ball and get the movement.
“It is happening naturally to me and I’m not putting any extra effort. I’m also mentally more aggressive. The off-season training and India A tour has helped,” he added.
