Happy birthday, Naman Ojha: Some interesting facts about the bright wicketkeeper batsman

It is no secret in Indian cricket that Na Manoj, despite regular good performances, could never get into the first team. This is largely due to the fact that Ojha existed in the era of the former Indian captain Mrs. Dhoni.

Though Ojha was an effective and flamboyant run-scorer for whichever team he played for, it was only when Dhoni decided to retire from Tests that he got a chance to represent India in the highly revered Test whites as he made his debut against Sri Lanka in 2015.

However, he managed to add just 56 runs to the scoreboard in his only Test match and eventually lost the Indian Test wicket-keeper spot to Wriddhiman Saha.

Prior to that, Ojha was also given a chance by the selectors to play for India against Sri Lanka in the 2010 ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe, where he opened the innings and got out for 1. Unfortunately, it was the first and last time he played an ODI for the Blues.

Later on, during the same tour, he made his T20I debut and played a couple of matches at the Harare Sports Club as well. But in the end, his performances fell short of what he desired and were never enough to cement his place in the Indian team permanently.

Ojha may not have enjoyed success in the international arena as a cricketer, but if his domestic record is anything to go by, the man from Madhya Pradesh stands in a league of his own.

He impressed all parties concerned during the 2008-09 Challenger Trophy where he scored 96 for India Green and later proved his mettle with a thundering 2013-14 season for his home side Madhya Pradesh, scoring 835 runs – his best ever.

In the 2014 IPL auctions, Ojha was signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a fee of Rs. 83 lakhs. He later went on to play an instrumental role in the Sunrisers’ success of winning the 2016 IPL trophy.

Ojha also scored a double century in his 100th first-class match while playing for India A against Australia A at Allan Border Field, Brisbane, in July 2014.

He was picked up by Delhi Daredevils in the 2018 IPL auction as well.

While these feats remind us of the truly legendary domestic career Ojha had, it is only fitting to also take a look at the more human side of the stylish stumper’s life on the occasion of his 38th birthday.

Interesting Facts About Naman Ojha

• The right-hand top-order batter was born in the holy city of Ujjain, in 1983 but grew up in Ratlam where he started playing cricket before having to move to Indore at the age of 14.
• He was introduced to Sanjay Jagdale aka ‘Bade Sir’, a senior cricket administrator of MP by a bank representative and one of his early guides Iyer Sir while playing at a local camp.
• Jagdale asked him to join the Cricket Club of Indore (CCI) commencing his journey towards top-class cricket then. Ojha developed his game as a protege under his watchful eyes.
• He climbed the cricketing ladder quickly from junior to the senior level quickly once he started playing ‘A’ grade cricket, Divisional cricket, Under-19s, before he made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh in 2000-01.
• In a career span of almost twenty years, he played in 146 First-Class games and scored 9753 runs at an average of 41.47. He hit 22 centuries and 55 half-centuries, with the best score of 219.
• When he is not busy playing cricket, he loves catching up with his friends, watching movies, and indulging in a bit of fitness training.
• He got married in 2011. During his wedding reception, 25 caterers were abducted from the hotel in Ratlam, in a bizarre incident. This story was shared by former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag.
  Despite all the odds he faced in his career, Ojha never doubted his skills with the bat and a pair of gloves and continued marching on in a journey very few can be proud of.

He finally retired from all forms of cricket on February 15, 2021.

We wish you all the best on your special day, happy 38th Naman!