Odisha Cricketer Pragyan Ojha Announces Retirement From All Formats

Bhubaneswar: Well-known cricketer and former Test player of Odisha, Pragyan Ojha on Thursday announced his retirement from all formats of the game.

“It’s time I move on to the next phase of my life. The love and support of each and every individual will always remain with me and motivate me all the time,” said the 33-year-old cricketer in a Tweet.

Paying regard to all his seniors and teammates, he said: “I am very thankful to VVS Laxman for mentoring me like an elder brother, Venkatapathy Raju for being the role model I always looked to emulate, Harbhajan Singh for being a constant adviser and MS Dhoni for providing me with the honourable opportunity of wearing the Indian cap.”

The left-arm orthodox spinner, who had played for Hyderabad Cricket Association for 14 years and also played for Bengal and Bihar, had begun his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Kanpur on November 24, 2009, one-day international (ODI) against Bangladesh in Karachi on June 28, 2008 and T20 against Bangladesh at Nottingham in June 6, 2009.

In 24 Tests, Ojha has claimed 113 wickets with the best bowling figure of 6 for 47 against West Indies in Mumbai (November 22, 2011).

He has 21 wickets in 18 ODIs, with the best bowling figure of 4 for 38 against Sri Lanka in Colombo (February 3, 2009) and 10 wickets in six T20 matches with the best bowling figure of 4 for 21 against Bangladesh in Nottingham (June 6, 2009)

Apart from this, Ojha has played 92 Indian Premier League (IPL) matches for the Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians and claimed 89 wickets.

He has also played County matches for Surrey in England.