Former Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha hangs up his boots

ONGOLE: Pragyan Ojha on Friday brought the curtain down on his 15-year first class cricket by announcing "his formal retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect".
The 33-year-old former left-arm spinner had made his debut for Hyderabad against Railways in 2005. He later turned out for Bengal and Bihar. He played 108 First Class games and claimed 424 wickets.The Bhubaneshwar-born Ojha made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Kanpur and went on to appear in 24 matches. He took 113 wickets with a five-wicket haul seven times. He also played 18 ODIs and 6 T20Is.
Pragyan, who is based in Hyderabad, had a career best world ranking of No.5 and is the first and one of the two spinners to ever win the Purple Cap in the IPL.
"I look forward to doing some commentary and more importantly spend time with my son Yohaan," Pragyan told ToI on Friday.

"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. For a sportsperson, there cannot be a greater reward," he wrote in his resignation letter to the BCCI.
"My eventful career has witnessed many ups and downs. Over the time, I have realized that the legacy of a sportsperson is not just the outcome of his hard work and dedication, but also the faith and guidance bestowed upon by the association (team management), teammates, coaches, trainers, and the fans. Their belief fills you with a strong sense of purpose and belonging."
Pragyan expressed his gratitude to the BCCI, HCA, CAB, Bihar CA and also IPL teams Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians.
"I am indebted to the BCCI for giving me this extraordinary opportunity and putting their belief in me. I have been a part of the Hyderabad Cricket Association for close to 14 years, and the incredible experience I have gained will have an everlasting impact. I would like to express my gratitude to all the members of the Association who have supported me through these years.
"I am thankful to the Cricket Association of Bengal and Mr. Saurav Ganguly for extending their unwavering support during a rough patch of my career. I also appreciate the Bihar Cricket Association for allowing me to lead their team for the short duration that I spent with them.
"My journey with the Indian Premier League has also been a memorable one and the Purple Cap win will always be an indelible memory - a special mention of the teams Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians for making me a part of their legacy," he said.
The player also mentioned some of the seniors and teammates he looked up to. "My humble salute to all my seniors and teammates from whom I draw immense inspiration, and who have helped me to strive to be a better sportsperson. 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 honorable opportunity to wear the Indian Cap.
"I extend my regards to my contemporaries Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary who have shared many eventful moments with me. My Hyderabad teammates - Amol Shinde, MP Arjun, Alfred Absolom and PS Niranjan have been an integral and inseparable part of my journey. My utmost gratitude to Arjun Yadav who was the first captain I played under during my Ranji Trophy debut and also Kanwaljit Singh who coached me during the early phases of my career.
Pragyan also took time to mention his family. "My journey would not be the same without the love and support of my parents - Bidulata Ojha and Maheswar Ojha, my loving wife Karabee Kailash and my younger brother Prateek Ojha. Their presence in my life has given me unending strength and helped me carry on each time I hit a bump. I cannot thank enough my uncle and aunt, Chakradhar Moharana and Gitisudha Moharana, who supported me through the budding days of my career, making their home - a home away from home for me.
"I am thankful to my childhood coach, late T Vijaya Paul, who instilled in me the love for the sport of cricket, my school - Bhavan's Sri Rama Krishna Vidyalaya, all its authorities and my childhood friends - Subhendu Mohapatra, Sanal Menon, CJ Raghavendra, Vishal Saxena, Adarsh and Kartik Das who have constantly been there for me until this day, witnessing my entire journey. I acknowledge my indebtedness to all of them.
"I am further thankful to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) for my congenial association with them for the past twelve years.
"I will reminisce about the enthusiasm and passion of all my fans and the support of the media fondly.
"My profound regards to every person I have been unable to mention here who have contributed to my journey at its different stages enabling me to be the best version of myself, both on and off the field.
"Lastly, I am certain that looking back at my career will always fill me with a sense of pride. The most memorable moments would be receiving my Test Cap from Sachin Tendulkar and accomplishing the feat of taking 100 Test wickets. I hope to continue contributing towards the growth of Indian Cricket in every capacity possible.
"As I enter a new phase of my life, I am really looking forward to teaching the important life lessons I have learned on the way to my son Yohaan," he wrote.