Pragyan Ojha's 3 best bowling performances for India
One of the most crafty spinners born in India from 2009-2013, Pragyan Ojha celebrates his 37th birthday on September 5 (Tuesday). The cricketing fraternity latched on to the opportunity to wish the former cricketer on his auspicious day.
With his left-arm angle and the ability to spin the ball prodigiously, Ojha emerged as a reliable spin option for India, especially in the longest format of the game. He came into the national reckoning after an impressive season for the Deccan Chargers in the first two seasons of the IPL (2008 and 2009).
Pragyan Ojha's heroics with the ball in the IPL earned him a spot in the Indian white ball team. He made his ODI debut in 2008 but it was in 2009 that he finally cemented his place in the national side, albeit in the Test format.
He made sporadical appearances in the white ball format but he made a name for himself in the purest form of the game.
Pragyan Ojha finished his international career with 144 wickets in 48 matches (across formats). With spinners like Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja's emergence, Ojha slowly went off the radar and played his last Test in 2013.
He announced his retirement from all forms of the game on February 21, 2020.
That said let us have a look at the three best bowling performances of Pragyan Ojha in Indian colours:
#1. 4/21 against Bangladesh in 2009 T20 World Cup
Pragyan Ojha's consistent performances for the Deccan Chargers in the IPL presented him with an opportunity to represent India in the 2009 T20 World Cup.
In the group league match against Bangladesh, Ojha made the Bangla batters dance to his tune. He finished with figures of 4/21 to help India to a comprehensive 25-run victory.
India posted a challenging score of 180 on the back of a brilliant half-century from Gautam Gambhir and useful contributions from Rohit Sharma and Yuvraj Singh. It was a daunting target for Bangladesh and it was evident right from the word go.
Ojha accounted for the wicket of Shakib Al Hasan to break open the Bangladesh middle order. He bagged three more in the form of Zunaed Siddiqui, Mahmudullah, and Mashrafe Mortaza as Bangladesh could only muster 155 in their allotted 20 overs.
#2. 6/72 vs West Indies in 2011 (Tests)
By 2011, Pragyan Ojha had risen through the ranks and made himself an indispensable part of the Indian red ball set-up. He enjoyed a terrific time against West Indies in the longest format. It was at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi that Ojha got a taste of getting a fifer.
On a pitch that didn't have too much assistance for the bowlers, He finished with figures of 6/72 in the first innings. His spell was instrumental in setting up the match for India.
Ojha trapped Kieron Powell with an arm ball to start his wicket-taking vigil. His scalps included Kraigg Brathwaite (63 of 212 balls) who looked well set to score a century. His guile and deception were a tough challenge for the Windies batters as they were eventually bowled out for 304.
West Indies took a 95-run lead after an inspired bowling performance in the first innings. However, the Indian bowlers roared back strongly and went on to chase down the target of 276 in the fourth innings, winning by five wickets.
#3. 6/47 vs West Indies in 2011 (Tests)
In the same series against West Indies back in 2011, Ojha went a step further and finished with figures of 6/47 in the second innings of the third Test. It was one of the most iconic matches played between the two teams.
It was only the second Test in history that the match was drawn with the scores level and with one side chasing for a win.
West Indies had posted a mammoth score of 590 in their first innings on the back of a stupendous knock from Darren Bravo (166 of 284 balls). India responded well but still fell short by 108 runs.
With the pitch assisting the spinners on Day 4 and Day 5, Ojha and Ashwin wreaked havoc, bundling out West Indies for just 134 runs in the second innings.
Ojha spun the ball prodigiously and kept pitching the ball in the right areas. The pressure kept building and the Windies batters didn't have any answers in front of the spinner's mastery. His six-wicket haul included the prized scalps of Darren Bravo and Kraigg Brathwaite.