Pragyan Ojha explains his challenges in the toughest year of his career

Pragyan Ojha was banned from bowling due to an illegal action

Pragyan Ojha stated that he was in a fix and faced a "big question mark” after he was banned due to an illegal bowling action and had to choose between retiring from cricket or fighting back for his spot.

He acknowledged his teammates from Hyderabad, including former Test legend VVS Laxman for encouraging and motivating him through the toughest years of his career. He also credited D Vasu and M Venkataramana, former spinners from Tamil Nadu, for helping him correct his bowling action.

In December, Ojha was banned, after the BCCI found his bowling action objectionable. He then underwent a remedial program which was supervised by Vasu and Venkataramana in Chennai. The left-arm spinner returned to playing first-class cricket in February, after he cleared a re-test at the ICC-accredited testing facility in Chennai.

The 28-year-old managed to pick up his first five-wicket haul, with his new bowling action, on Friday in India A's four-day match against Australia A at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

"It was one of the toughest years for me," Ojha said as reported by ESPNcricinfo. "After playing about six years of international cricket, suddenly you get into that, and I don't want any cricketer to go through that phase in his entire career."

"A big question mark was there. There were two ways for me, either just get out of cricket or just fight your way back, and I'm glad that senior players like (VVS) Laxman bhai always spoke to me, and I've got a few colleagues in the Ranji Trophy side, they were there, they were literally monitoring me every day. And when I was here practicing with D Vasu sir and Venkataramana sir, the offspinner from Hyderabad, Amol Shinde, he personally came here. He was with me, for 20 days he was monitoring me, he was like my shadow. That was one phase. Those 20-25 days I was very low, but after that things really changed for me and I'm able to achieve what I want to", he added.

The primary change he made was in the angle of his run-up. Prior to this, he would run towards the crease diagonally, now he approaches the crease a lot straighter which further results in a straighter bowling arm.

"Technically it was because of my front foot, I was going too across, so what I did, instead of going diagonal I've come straighter, and my body is totally going towards the batsman. So that is how things have become better now, for me. It was not that much physical, it was much more mental, to accept the angles that we're talking about right now," he further told the website. "So it took me a couple of games. When I played the Ranji Trophy, (the action) was something new to me."

Getting accustomed to the action

Ojha also mentioned that the Irani Trophy and IPL helped him get used to the action.

"Then I played Irani Trophy, then I practiced with Mumbai Indians, the whole (IPL) season, 40-45 days I was there, so it really got into my system, where it's much more natural than I'm thinking and then bowling. Initially when I started I was bowling with my mind first and then with my body, but now it's become more natural", he stated.

He mentioned that the toughest part of correcting his bowling action was battling his muscle memory.

"That was the most important part. That is where D Vasu and Venkataramana sir and few of my colleagues, they were monitoring me. Because like you've been bowling right from your childhood with a particular action and it's already into your system. So unknowingly, you do mistakes when nobody is monitoring you, so that's how these guys played a very important role. They were watching me, they were taping me every practice session and every practice game I played, they were watching me very closely, so that those things don't come again into my system," he said as reported by the website.

Ojha said that he played three league matches in Hyderabad, bowling "30-40 overs in each game" which helped him retain his rhythm and get match-fit, ahead of the ongoing series against Australia A.

"That's how I got my rhythm. I came here, I just wanted to bowl. Wickets were there in my mind, but it wasn't the priority. I was thinking, okay, I have to bowl it there, I have to hit the right areas, and things will happen", he said.

Return to the Indian Team

He also said that he would stick to a similar mindset when it comes to making a comeback in the Indian team.

"Playing for the country is the priority for anyone who starts his cricket, for any country he plays for. So yes, definitely I'm looking forward to perform in this A tour; we've got one more game to come, tomorrow is a crucial day for us, and then I think we've got a couple of games against South Africa A. I'm really looking forward to it, and I want to perform, just bowl the way I've been bowling. "I haven't really thought about it like, maybe in a couple of months I want to get back. I've just thought, if I perform, I have to do well consistently, I have to pick up wickets, and then I think things will follow after that,” he said according to ESPNcricinfo.

"I haven't really thought about it like, maybe in a couple of months I want to get back. I've just thought, if I perform, I have to do well consistently, I have to pick up wickets, and then I think things will follow after that.

In an attempt to stay in the minds of the selectors, Ojha has switched his Ranji team, from Hyderabad to Bengal, to play in the top tier of the competition. Sourav Ganguly, the joint-secretary of the Cricket Association of Bengal, was happy with this move, Ojha added.

"He told me they were very happy to have me there," Ojha said. "First reason why I wanted to move was because of the Elite group. I wanted to play in Elite group and play against better teams, so that I give a fair chance to myself to do well in the domestic season. That was the only thing I told him, and he was very happy, he was very confident that whatever happened last year, it's all gone."