Reports: Pragyan Ojha plans to leave Bengal to resume playing for Hyderabad in First Class cricket

Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has plans of leaving Bengal after playing two seasons with the team. Ojha, who has been playing first-class cricket for Bengal since 2015-16 is contemplating a return to his own state owing to some family reasons. Although the player has denied any such decisions, reports have quoted sources close to him have confirmed the same. In his two years of playing with Bengal, Ojha played 9 matches and picked up 36 wickets.

The 30-year-old cricketer, born in Orissa, played first-class cricket for Hyderabad before moving to Bengal. Usually, the primary reason why cricketers play for other states is due to better pay. But here Ojha wants to spend more time with his family, and if he plays for Bengal, he hasn’t been able to do that and thus wants to go back to playing first-class cricket for his home state.

According to Sesh Narayan, Hyderabad Cricket Association secretary, “Ojha wants to return to Hyderabad. He wants to come back for family reasons. We do not have a problem if he wishes to return and play for Hyderabad again. But he will first have to get a NOC from the Cricket Association of Bengal,” xtratime quoted him as saying.

“He (Pragyan) requested Sourav to release him to play for Hyderabad. I spoke to Sourav in Mumbai few days back and informed him about the problem. Pragyan is likely to sit with Sourav in the next few days and discuss about it,” he added.

No close confirmation yet 

When Manoj Tiwary, Pragyan’s closest friend in the Bengal team was approached for comments on this, he refused to spill the beans. If Ojha leaves Bengal, it will be a blow for Bengal since he brings with him a lot experience having played international cricket, even though his performances for Bengal have not been too great.