Pragyan Ojha is an Indian cricket commentator, analyst, and former professional cricketer who represented his country in all 3 formats of the sport (113 wickets in 24 Tests, 21 wickets in 18 ODIs, and 10 wickets in 6 T20Is), between June 2008 and November 2013, as a frontline spin bowler. He is one of the
Pragyan Ojha Quick Info
Height
6 ft
Weight
74 kg
Date of Birth
September 5, 1986
Zodiac Sign
Virgo
Spouse
Karabee Baral
Pragyan Ojha is an Indian cricket commentator, analyst, and former professional cricketer who represented his country in all 3 formats of the sport (113 wickets in 24 Tests, 21 wickets in 18 ODIs, and 10 wickets in 6 T20Is), between June 2008 and November 2013, as a frontline spin bowler. He is one of the very few cricketers who recorded more wickets (113) than the runs they scored (89) in test match cricket. In the Indian domestic circuit, he played for Hyderabad (2004-05-2015-16), Bengal (2015-16-2016-17), and Bihar (2018-19) across all 3 formats. He has also played domestic cricket outside of his home country, representing Surrey County Cricket Club (2011) in England. In the IPL (Indian Premier League), Pragyan turned out for Deccan Chargers (2008-2011) and Mumbai Indians (2012-2015). With Deccan Chargers, he won the IPL title in 2009. With Mumbai Indians, he won the IPL title in 2013 and 2015, and the Champions League Twenty20 (a now-defunct international T20 franchise tournament) in 2013. In February 2020, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Post-retirement, he has worked as a cricket analyst and commentator with several different TV networks and online cricket websites. Pragyan has also served as a member of the IPL Governing Council.
Born Name
Pragyan Prayash Ojha
Nick Name
Pragyan
Pragyan Ojha as seen in an Instagram Post in December 2016 (Pragyan Ojha / Instagram)
Sun Sign
Virgo
Born Place
Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India
Residence
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Nationality
Education
Pragyan had attended D.A.V. (Dayanand Anglo-Vedic Education Society) Public School, an institution located in Sailashree Vihar, Chandrasekharpur – a residential township in the northern part of his home city of Bhubaneswar.
He and his family moved to Hyderabad when he was about 13 years old. He then studied at Bhavan’s Sri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya, a co-educational private school in Sainikpuri, Secunderabad (twin city of Hyderabad).
Occupation
Cricket Commentator, Analyst, Professional Cricketer (Retired)
Pragyan Ojha as seen in an Instagram Post in September 2021 (Pragyan Ojha / Instagram)
Family
Father – Maheswar Ojha (State Government Officer (Retired))
Karabee Baral (2010-Present) – Pragyan married Karabee Baral (a post-graduate microbiology student at that time) on May 16, 2010. They have a son together named Yohaan (b. September 2019).
Pragyan Ojha and Karabee Baral, as seen in September 2019 (Pragyan Ojha / Instagram)
Race / Ethnicity
Asian (Indian)
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Toned physique
Short-cropped, side-parted hair
Often sports a rugged stubble
Affable smile
Religion
Hinduism
Pragyan Ojha as seen in an Instagram Post in April 2018 (Pragyan Ojha / Instagram)
Pragyan Ojha Facts
Pragyan made his T20I debut for India in June 2009, in a match against Bangladesh during the ICC (International Cricket Council) World T20. He recorded sensational figures of 4/21 in four overs and was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance.
He made his test match debut for India in November 2009, in the 2nd match of a 3-match bilateral home series against Sri Lanka. He recorded bowling figures of 2/37 and 2/36 as India went on to win by an inning and 144 runs, the country’s 100th international victory in the test match format.
Pragyan won the ‘Purple Cap’ (presented to the leading wicket-taker in the IPL) in the 2010 edition of the IPL, with 21 wickets to his name in 16 matches. He was the first spin bowler to have achieved this feat. As of January 2023, Pragyan’s 21 wickets remain the record for the least number of wickets taken to win the IPL‘s ‘Purple Cap’.
On July 22, 2010, on the last day of the first match of a 3-match bilateral away test series, legendary Sri Lankan spin bowler Muttiah Muralitharan dismissed Pragyan, the last wicket in India’s 2nd innings. As he had announced his retirement before the match, that delivery to dismiss Pragyan also became the last of his storied test match career. Pragyan’s wicket made Muttiah the first bowler to reach the milestone of 800 wickets in test match cricket, a feat unmatched as of January 2023.
In October 2010, Pragyan played a key role in finishing the script of a rearguard for the ages, in one of the greatest test matches ever played. On the last day of the first match of a 2-match bilateral home test series, against Australia, chasing a target of 216 runs, the Indian team was down in the dumps with the score reading 124/8 in the 34th over.
Over the next 21 overs or so, tail-ender Ishant Sharma (31 runs off 92 balls) dodged and defended for his life and forged an 81-run-partnership with stalwart middle-order batter VVS Laxman who was battling a sore back. When Pragyan walked out to bat in the 55th over, India’s score was 205/9, still 11 runs behind the target.
In the 58th over, with India’s score at 210/9, the pair was involved in an almighty mixup which nearly led to a run-out dismissal. Even Laxman, widely regarded as one of the finest gentlemen to have played the sport, lost his head and fired a couple of expletives at Pragyan, before calming down and talking to his partner. The Indian team overhauled the target in the next over, with Pragyan facing all the deliveries, to register its first-ever 1-wicket victory in a test match.
In August 2011, he signed up to play in the final few weeks of the English domestic season and picked up 24 wickets in just 4 games, helping Surrey County Cricket Club earn a promotion to the first division of the LV County Championship (the premier domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales).
In November 2013, in the 2nd match of a 2-match bilateral home test series against the West Indies, Pragyan recorded excellent bowling figures of 5/40 and 5/49 to help India win the match by an inning and 126 runs and, consequently, the series by a 2-0 margin.
He was named the ‘Player of the Match’ for his performance in what was the last international match of Sachin Tendulkar‘s illustrious career. As things panned out over the next few months, this turned out to be the last test (and international) match of Pragyan’s career as well.
In December 2014, he was barred from bowling in competitive matches after his action was found to be illegal. However, in late January 2015, he cleared the required tests and was allowed to resume bowling. Pragyan was competing in domestic and franchise-level matches at that time.
