The last few weeks have been unbelievable for Pragyan Ojha. In the space of just a month, the left-arm spinner from Hyderabad made it to India's one-day and Test squads.
After impressing with his bowling during the three matches he played in the Asia Cup, the 21-year-old was named in the squad for the three-Test series in Sri Lanka.
Ojha actually caught the attention of the selectors in the Indian Premier League after a consistent showing for the Deccan Chargers. Despite his team's poor showing, he impressed, picking 11 wickets in 13 matches. He was also Hyderabad's leading bowler in the 2007-08 Ranji Trophy season with a haul of 24 wickets in six matches.
In an exclusive interview with Special Correspondent Harish Kotian, Ojha talks about his selection to the Indian team and plans for the upcoming series in Sri Lanka.
How does it feel to make it to India's Test squad at such an early age?
Obviously, it is an honour to make it to the Indian Test squad. I am quite delighted at being selected.
Did you expect the call-up to the Test squad after playing just three ODIs?
I never think about selection whenever I play; I only think about my bowling. I am aware that if I bowl well everything else will fall in place. So I am always looking at the job given to me and hoping to do well.
I was feeling great when I made my debut for India. I have grown up watching the Indian team play and now I am playing for my country. Obviously, it was a proud moment for me and it will always be.
Tell us about your first international match, against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup in Karachi.
I was a bit nervous. I just wanted to focus on my bowing and keep it simple.
All my team mates helped me calm down before the match; they told me to go out and enjoy myself, since it was my first international match. Everyone in the squad kept encouraging me and made me feel easy.
Would you say that performing well in the IPL helped you make it to the Indian team? You picked 11 wickets in 13 matches for the Deccan Chargers despite your team not doing well.
Obviously, the IPL is one of the reasons why I was picked for the Indian team. But there are so many other reasons too, like the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Deodhar Trophy. Basically, everything came together for my selection.
How much has been the help of seniors Hyderabad spinners Kanwaljit Singh and Venkatapathy Raju?
They have been helping me for quite a long time. Every year, during the summer camp or whenever they have time, they come and speak to me. Now Kanwaljit Singh is the coach of our Ranji Trophy side, so he keeps giving me advice.
Also, have you ever interacted with senior spinners in the Indian team like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh on spin bowling?
I haven't spoken to them before and I am looking forward to talking to them about spin bowling. I would like to speak to them now and whenever we are in the nets. It is a great feeling to be in the same squad as them.
Kumble is a legend, and when you get tips from a legend it is always of great help.
Nowadays, Twenty20 has become a huge hit worldwide. Do you have any special preference for Twenty20 cricket too?
I don't have any special preferences for any format of cricket. Twenty20 is different, Test cricket is different and one-day cricket is different. You cannot compare Tests with ODIs or Twenty20 cricket with Tests because they are different formats of the game. You should play as they are and as they come.
I just love playing cricket, be it any format; so I don't care whether it is any particular format.
But how does a bowler adjust to the different formats since there is hardly any time nowadays with so much cricket being played?
I think that is what you try and learn in the nets. You think about different situations, look to adapt to those situations and bowl accordingly. That is how you try and learn to adapt to the different formats.
Sri Lanka's pitches provide a lot of help to the spinners, but they are also good for batting. How are you preparing for those conditions?
I am just trying to keep things very simple. I will just concentrate on my line and length. I am not thinking of trying too many different things at a time. I will just try and bowl what I know and what I am confident of. I will try and stick to a basic plan and everything will follow.
It was good that I got to bowl at some of their batsmen during the Asia Cup; it should help me during the Test series.
