Keeper-Batsman Naman Ojha retires from all forms of cricket

Wicketkeeper and basement Naman Ojha has announced retirement from all forms of cricket late on Monday. The skillful cricketers hold the title of most number of dismissals in Ranji Trophy but on February 15, the 37-year-old cricketer decided to shut the door for the sport. 

He tweeted through his personal handle saying that it is finally time for him to move on and called the time period of him playing cricket a long and wonderful journey. “I would like to announce my retirement from international and BCCI/MPCA domestic first-class cricket. After 20 years in first-class cricket and many more during the junior competitions, I feel it’s time for me to move on. It was a long journey and a wonderful phase of my life,” he said. 

The cricketer also conducted a virtual press conference where he barely could hold tears as he was speaking about his retirement. “I would like to announce my retirement,” Ojha said. He also said that he is grateful that he got an opportunity to play for the country. 

One of the best wicket-keepers of India, Ojha debuted on the International waters in 2010 but could not play the whole series and ended up playing just one match against Sri Lanka in Harare. It was definitely not the ideal debut match that a cricketer would expect but Ojha quickly got an opportunity to play the shortest format of cricket against Zimbabwe. 

Ojha did not have the best time playing in one-day matches and it was a little late than most when Ojha got the test cap for International tours. He was 32 when he got the opportunity as a replacement for Wriddhiman Saha. The test match became the only match where the Ujjain-born cricketer could take part, which too was incidentally against Sri Lanka. 

Ojha’s international career was always under scanner especially because the role he was fighting for already had established cricketers like MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik. Nevertheless, the cricketer continued to play domestic matches where he excelled with gloves as well as the bat. 

His last match for Madhya Pradesh was against Uttar Pradesh in January last year where the talented cricketer captained MP’s team in the Elite Group B match in Indore. As for the Indian Premier League, Ojha played for Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Daredevils since 2010.