Former Indian left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has recently shared that Deccan Chargers (now renamed as Sunrisers Hyderabad) had to defeat their off-field odds to register a win in 2009 in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 2009 season was played in South Africa because of general elections in India. They finished at the bottom of the season in the inaugural first season in 2008 as well. Ojha, who recently announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, was their highest wicket-taker that season and shared how they won the title.

"After finishing last in 2008, we didn't have sponsors. Because of late sponsors, you know, when we reached South Africa, we had a limited amount of clothes...training kits. That's when Gilly (Adam Gilchrist) came and told us that all these things don't matter, what matters is once you win the championship, see how things will change. And I'm telling you, once we won, it was totally a different thing," Ojha told Cricbuzz.

The Deccan Chargers managed to put up 143 for 6 in the final at Johannesburg. In reply, Ojha (3/28) and Harmeet Singh (2/23) restricted Royal Challengers Bangalore to 137/9 and won the title by six runs.

"Deccan Chargers were suddenly a different brand. Everybody started looking at us in a different way. You're playing in alien conditions, nobody had a home advantage... nobody expected us to win after how we performed in the first [season]. We were a different team in the second edition," said Ojha.

Deccan Chargers had the renowned players like Adam Gilchrist, a young Rohit Sharma, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Symonds as well but Ojha feels it was the youngsters who did exceptionally well under the leadership of Adam Gilchrist, the veteran Australian.

"Gilly was so balanced. He knew exactly how to absorb pressure from the owners or external pressure. He soaked in all of it and kept that away from the team and the support staff. Whatever pressure that the team used to face, maybe we didn't do well in some games or whatever, there was pressure from the owners, outsiders, like people not from the 15, support staff, he handled that very well. It was one of our biggest strengths," Ojha concluded.