Was gifted a watch for dismissing Sachin Tendulkar in 2009 IPL, recalls Pragyan Ojha

One of the pillars of strength for the Deccan Chargers side in the competition’s early days was the left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha. Having played his cricket for Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, he was immediately roped in by the owners, who knew his calibre. After a terrible finish in the inaugural season, the side led by Adam Gilchrist vouched to make a comeback in the second season. 

But before they could turn their fortune around, they had to beat one of the contenders for the trophy Mumbai Indians, who had Sachin Tendulkar in the lineup. In the 12th match of the competition, batting first, Deccan Charger put 168 runs on board. Chasing 169, Sachin’s partnership with JP Duminy threatened to take the game away from the hosts. 

Recalling that particular encounter, the left-arm spinner narrated an interesting backstory to the events, where he remembers that one of the franchise’s owners had promised him a watch for the prize of Sachin’s wicket. And staying true to the expectations, it was the Hyderabad spinner who picked up the prized scalp, which put Mumbai in meltdown, as Deccan won the game by 12 runs. 

“Our owner met me at the team dinner the night before the game, and the way I was bowling in South Africa, he had a word with me. He is from Hyderabad [the team Ojha represented in Ranji Trophy], [he is] one of the team owners in our local leagues in the Hyderabad Cricket Association system. He knows me right from my childhood. He walked up to me and said ‘Pragyan, if you get Sachin Tendulkar’s wicket, then definitely I’ll have a special gift for you,” Ojha told Wisden. 

“I told him, ‘Sir, If I get his wicket, I need a watch’. It so happened, the next day, I got Sachin paaji’s wicket and he gifted me a watch.”

However, away from that, Ojha also admitted that it is a special feeling to have picked up the Mumbai batsman’s wicket, before adding that it was his dream wicket. 

“Getting someone like Sachin paaji is a wonderful feeling, one of those wickets that you always dream of getting as a bowler. You feel nice, that you’re good enough to compete with people who have dominated world cricket.”