Delhi Capitals’ aggressive wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel has praised KL Rahul and Axar Patel for guiding him both on and off the field, adding that he has thoroughly enjoyed spending time around such experienced players.

“It has been a very good experience. Both of them are like elder brothers to me. They guide me really well, both on and off the field. I enjoy spending time with them and learning from their experience,” Porel said while talking to NewsX.com.

Abhishek Porel was full of praise for captain Axar Patel. The left-handed batter said that Axar is a captain who understands what each player needs in different situations. According to Porel, Axar knows how to communicate with his teammates and helps them feel confident about their roles in the team.

He further added that Axar’s support and guidance make it easier for younger players to settle in and perform well, as he takes the time to understand every player’s strengths and requirements.

“There is no doubt about Axar Patel’s leadership. Last year we had phases where we were doing well — we had a 6–6 situation at one point — but somehow things didn’t go our way after that. As a captain, Axar is very good. As a person and like an elder brother, he understands what a player wants and what he doesn’t want, and that understanding is very important for a team.”

Delhi Capitals started last season on a decent note but struggled to maintain their momentum in the middle phase of the tournament. Reflecting on this, Abhishek Porel said that the team is not thinking too much about what happened in the past.

He explained that the players are now fully focused on preparing well for the upcoming tournament. According to Porel, the squad is working hard in training. He added that the goal is to stay positive, learn from previous experiences, and approach the new season with a fresh mindset and strong determination.

“Last time we started really well, but after that our performance went a bit up and down. This time we are trying to make sure those mistakes are not repeated. Preparation is very important for a long tournament like the IPL, and we are focusing a lot on that. In the nets we have a lot of practice wickets — some are good, some are challenging — and adapting to different conditions is very important for us,” he said.

“The IPL is happening after the World Cup, so honestly we don’t really know what kind of wickets we are going to get. That’s why we are trying to practice on as many types of wickets as possible. There won’t necessarily be similarities everywhere, so we want to be ready for normal wickets and also be able to adapt quickly,” the 23-year-old added.

The wicket-keeper batter, who has played 31 matches in the Indian Premier League and scored 661 runs for the Delhi Capitals, said that the team management has not given him any specific role yet for the upcoming season.

The wicketkeeper-batter explained that, at the moment, the main focus is on preparing well for the tournament. He added that once the tournament gets closer, the team management will decide the roles, but for now the priority is to work hard and be ready for any responsibility given to him.

“We haven’t really decided on a fixed strategy yet. There is still time before the tournament begins. Right now we are just focusing on the process. If the process and preparation are strong, the strategy will naturally fall into place. So our main focus is on preparing as well as possible. Right now, I haven’t been told exactly what my role will be, but that’s okay. I’m just focusing on preparing myself and being ready whenever the team needs me,” he concluded.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is all set to begin on March 28 with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad scheduled to play the first match. The schedule has been announced till April 12 and the rest will be revealed afterwards.
Delhi Capitals will lock horns with Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on April 1.

The post IPL 2026 | “Like Elder Brothers to Me”: DC’s Abhishek Porel Credits ‘Understanding Captain’ Axar Patel and KL Rahul for Guidance | EXCLUSIVE appeared first on NewsX.