Naman Ojha is an Indian cricketer who played as a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman in Indian domestic cricket and represented the India national team across formats in a limited number of appearances. He is most associated with Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, where he served for many seasons as a senior batsman, wicket-keeper and captain.
| Full name | Naman Vinaykumar Ojha |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 February 1983, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Role | Wicket-keeper batsman |
| Batting | Right-handed |
| Domestic team | Madhya Pradesh |
| National team | India |
| IPL franchises | Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad |
Born in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, Ojha came up through age-group cricket in the state and was a part of the India Under-19 setup before establishing himself in first-class cricket with Madhya Pradesh. As a wicket-keeper batsman, he combined dependable glovework with attacking strokeplay in the middle order, which led to his selection for India A tours and eventually the senior side.
Ojha has been a long-serving member of the Madhya Pradesh side in the Ranji Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Over a career spanning more than a decade and a half, he scored heavily in first-class cricket and registered multiple centuries, including a notable triple century while representing India A in an unofficial Test against Australia A in Chennai in 2015. He also captained Madhya Pradesh in domestic competition.
Ojha was a regular fixture for India A on tours and at home, often used as the first-choice wicket-keeper and a top- or middle-order batsman. His 219 not out for India A against Australia A at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in 2015 was central to his subsequent senior team call-up.
Ojha made his One Day International debut for India against Sri Lanka in 2010. He later earned Test selection on the tour of Sri Lanka in 2015, making his Test debut at the P. Sara Oval in Colombo, where he kept wicket in the absence of the regular keeper. He also featured in Twenty20 International cricket for India. His international appearances remained limited, as he competed for the wicket-keeping slot during a period dominated by M. S. Dhoni and, subsequently, Wriddhiman Saha and others.
In the Indian Premier League, Ojha represented several franchises, including Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He was a member of the Rajasthan Royals squad that won the inaugural IPL title in 2008 and was used primarily as a wicket-keeper batsman in the top order.
Ojha is a right-handed batsman known for his ability to play strokes square of the wicket and hit through the line in limited-overs cricket. As a wicket-keeper, he is regarded as a tidy gloveman, comfortable both standing up to spin and standing back to seam.
Ojha announced his retirement from all forms of professional cricket in 2020, ending a long domestic career centred on Madhya Pradesh.
Ojha is regarded as one of the most prolific wicket-keeper batsmen in Indian domestic cricket of his generation. While his international career was brief, his consistency in the Ranji Trophy and for India A made him a notable figure in the country's domestic circuit and a senior presence in Madhya Pradesh cricket.