After picking up a five-wicket haul for Bengal against Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy semifinals, Ishan Porel has credited out-of-favour Bengal pacer, Ashok Dinda, for his brilliant performance on Sunday.

Notably, Danda is Bengal’s second-highest wicket-taker for Bengal only behind Utpal Chatterjee. Dinda was suspended on disciplinary grounds ahead of the match against Andhra Pradesh and has not found a place in the team since then.

Led by youngster Porel, the Bengal pace attack bundled out Karnataka for 122 despite a star-studded batting  line up of the visting team which included the likes of KL Rahul, Manish Pandey and Karun Nair.

Porel, who returned with figures of 5/39, stated that it was Dinda’s suggestion that helped him do the right things against Karnataka.

“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 at end of day two as quoted by PTI.

“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.

“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,” he continued.

“He (KL 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,” he said.

“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,” he further stated.

Notably, Porel managed to join the side only for the knockout phase as he was part of India A squad which had gone to tour 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 concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)