Pragyan Ojha retires from international cricket
New Delhi: Veteran Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who snared 10 wickets during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell Test in 2013, announced retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect on Friday.
Tendulkar's final Test in Mumbai against the West Indies in November 2013 also became the last of the 33-year-old Ojha's career. He went out of favour after that but did not give any reasons for his decision to call it quits now.
In all, he played 24 Tests between 2009 and 2013 in which he took 113 wickets. Ojha, however, did not offer any reason for his retirement.
"I am writing this letter to tender my formal retirement from international and first-class cricket with immediate effect," Ojha posted on his Twitter account.
"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," he added.
From 18 ODIs, he grabbed 21 wickets. He also played six T20 Internationals. He said the most memorable moment of his career was receiving his Test cap from Tendulkar.
"(It was like) ... accomplishing the feat of taking 100 Test wickets. I hope to continue contributing towards the growth of Indian cricket in every capacity possible," he said.
In the early stage of his career, Ojha had a fruitful spin partnership with R Ashwin in Tests, taking 20 wickets in the 2011 home Tests against West Indies and 13 the following year against New Zealand.
"My eventful career has witnessed many ups and downs, Over time, I have realised 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," he said.
"I am indebted to the BCCI for giving me this extraordinary opportunity and putting their belief in me.
"It has been an absolute honour to be associated with the Board, an association that has shaped my professional life and also enriched my personal development."
Ojha, who competed for erstwhile Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians in the IPL, was once reported for a suspect action in 2014. He underwent corrective rehabilitation and was cleared in 2015 but was never a very effective bowler after that, leading to his axing from the national team.
"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.
"I am 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 to wear the Indian cap.
He also thanked his contemporaries Rohit Sharma and Manoj Tiwary "who have shared many eventful moments with me and my Hyderabad teammate Amol Shinde".
Ojha played first class and List A matches till 2018.
Ojha's first-class career spanned more than 13 years between 2005 and 2018 during which he played for Hyderabad and also captained Bihar in the Ranji Trophy.
"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 ever lasting impact.
"I am thankful to Cricket Association of Bengal and Sourav 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.
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Agra man arrested for harassing, touching inappropriately Czech tourist visiting Taj Mahal
Agra, Apr 6 (PTI): A man was arrested for allegedly harassing and touching inappropriately a tourist from the Czech Republic visiting the Taj Mahal, police said on Sunday.
The alleged incident occurred on April 3 and the arrest was made after a thorough investigation, they said.
In a written complaint at the Tourist police station, the woman alleged that she was "touched inappropriately and harassed" while walking along the Shamshan Ghat Road around 1 pm, they added.
The police registered a case and began a probe, deploying multiple teams to nab the accused.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Taj Security) Syed Areeb Ahmed said, "A case was registered on the complaint of the foreign woman. Several teams were deployed to search for the accused. (Footage from) several CCTV cameras covering the area was scanned. After investigation, the accused Karan Rathore was arrested on Sunday."
The woman has identified Rathore as the accused and he has been taken into custody, the officer said.
