With a blonde streak through his black hair, a hunched walk and wiry frame, Ishan Porel strikes a mirror image of Hardik Pandya. In fact, so similar are his traits to the Indian all-rounder that Porel has acquired the nickname of 'Pandya' from some of his teammates in the U-19 World Cup team. While Porel might not be capable of smashing balls out of the park like Pandya, his ability to generate disconcerting bounce from a good length has made him one of most difficult bowlers to negotiate in the U-19 World Cup.

The 6'3" Bengal pacer decimated the Pakistan top-order with a match-winning spell of 6-2-17-4 to lead India into the final of the U-19 World Cup. It was a rich reward for Porel, almost the forgotten man of India's fast bowling cartel here. Porel has been overshadowed by his fast bowling colleagues, Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi, largely due to their ability to generate raw pace. But Porel's height along with his high-arm action means India have some variety in their fast bowling stocks.