A learning curve for Ojha

MUMBAI: Yet another young gun of Indian cricket found The Times of India cricket shield as a learning curve. It was Hyderabad's Pragyan Ojha, who got his India ODI cap in Sri Lanka earlier this season.
Playing his first Times game for Bharat Petroleum against Tata Sports Club, the most-oft crowned champs, left-arm spinner Ojha claimed one wicket for 42 in 14.It was the wicket of u-19 lad Sufiyan Shaikh who was lbw.
"He was eager to sweep, I bowled the arm-ball and was rewarded," said Ojha who had some hard work against the unseparated pair of Nishit Shetty and Ramesh Powar who have added 94 runs.
Asked how was the experience of playing in Mumbai, Ojha said: "I have played in Mumbai for BPCL in the DY Patil T20 Cup and the Petroleum tournament. This was different. The pitch didn't give any help and it was hard work. I learnt a lot bowling alongside Sairaj Bahutule, I saw how he looped the ball and varied it."
Asked about the local cricket he played back home in Hyderabad, Ojha, whose omission from the Test squad against Australia (Amit Mishra got the nod) caused a surprise, said: "There also we have three-day games. I play for State Bank of Hyderabad."
This season, however, he has missed the local games as he was away with the Indian team in Hyderabad.
Ojha would do well to absorb as much as he can in this event. Many players from outside the city have used the Times Shield as a platform to big cricket. There have been others who have also chickened out.
A current national selector when he played in the shield, got the stick from an unknown batsman in the very season he had claimed big wickets in Test cricket and never showed up again for his office side.
He didn't do so well again on the big stage and worse got the sack from his office side. He subsequently came back at a ripe age for another side and got plenty of wickets.