Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha on Friday announced his retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect. Ojha, who represented India in 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and 6 T20Is, said it was time to move on in his next phase of life.
Pragyan Ojha Announces Retires From Cricket
The 33-year old left-arm spinner from Hyderabad took to Twitter to announce his decision to retire from international and first-class cricket. He tweeted, “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.”
The 33-year-old has last played for India in 2013 during Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell Test against the West Indies in Mumbai. In all, he has played 24 Tests between 2009 and 2013 in which he took 113 wickets. From 18 ODIs, he grabbed 21 wickets. Ojha played his first One Day International match against Bangladesh on 28 June 2008 in Karachi and ended up with figures of 2/43.
Ojha said in a statement on his Twitter account, “I am writing this letter to tender my formal retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect. To be an Indian cricketer and represent the country at the highest level was always a dream I cherished as a youngster. I fall short of words to describe how fortunate I have been to have lived my dream and earned the love and respect of my fellow countrymen.”
Ojha achieved World no. 5 as his career-best ranking in ICC Player Rankings and will be remembered as the first and one of the two spinners to ever win the Purple Cap in the Indian Premier League.
Ojha, who competed for erstwhile Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians in the IPL, was once reported for having a suspect action in 2014. He underwent corrective rehabilitation and was cleared in 2015.
Ojha had last played a first-class match in 2018 when he represented Bihar in the Ranji Trophy. Since then the left-arm spinner has been out of action.
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