Ojha may not have had much part to play during the recent India’s tour of England, but he has more than proved his worth for the county team — Surrey.
Pragyan Ojha may not have had much part to play during the recent India’s tour of England, but he has more than proved his worth for the county team — Surrey. He returned home last week after leading the team to Division I by taking 24 wickets in just four games on seamer-friendly tracks.
Ojha found his county stint enjoyable. “The conditions were helpful for seamers and it was a tough task for the spinners to come out and deliver. I am glad that I finished on a high with 24 wickets on seamer-friendly tracks,” he said.
The 25-year-old said the task was tough considering he was called in during the last stages of their season. “It wasn’t an easy task and delivering a good performance was important.
Expectations were high from me as they had roped me in as a professional. However, I am happy that I played well and lived up to their expectations. The domestic cricket there is very challenging,” he added.
Ojha said he learnt a lot from the short stint. “It was a learning experience. The English are very professional and you have to be the same, if you want to adjust there soon. Playing there, I have learnt a lot, including discipline and sincerity. It was a delightful experience,” said the Bhubaneswar-born Hyderabad cricketer.
India pacer Zaheer Khan had once said that during his stint with a county team, apart from playing cricket, he also had to do the household chores, etc. However, Ojha said he was lucky to have his wife around. “Luckily, I had my wife there and I just concentrated on playing cricket. I learnt a lot about the culture playing with the English and I really enjoyed it,” he added.
Ojha said if selected for the Australia tour, the county experience would come in handy. “Conditions in Australia are very different from England. But both the places don’t support spinners. I stuck to the basics and that’s what helped me there,” said Ojha.
Meanwhile, the cricketer has set his eyes on the Irani Cup in which he will represent the Rest of India. “That is an important game for me. I will try to put my best foot forward and help the team win,” he said. The five-day clash against the Ranji Trophy champions Rajasthan starts in Jaipur on October 1.
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