Should Deepak Hooda be in India’s T20 WC scheme?

The countdown for the T20 World Cup 2022 has started and the teams are gearing up to get their hands on the coveted silverware. India has been in good form and will be strong contenders for the championship title after being knocked out in the group stages last year.

Although the team for the T20 World Cup has not yet been named, Deepak Hooda is one of the players receiving the most attention. Hooda has been part of India’s mix in the recent past, and the turning point in his career, recently, was his century against Ireland during India’s tour. The Indian contingent, under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya, toured Ireland for two T20Is and Hooda was the leading run-scorer of the series.

He has proved to be one of the finest players in the 20-over format but failed to get opportunities during the West Indies T20Is. He was out of the combination in the first two games and was named only for the third T20I.

Apart from a couple of poor performances, Hooda’s numbers speak for him. The all-rounder has been effective with the bat as well as the ball. He has managed to add crucial runs while batting in both the top order and the middle order. Be it opening the innings, walking out at No. 3, or in the middle order, Hooda has been successful in every spot.

He holds the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking. Even if India loses early wickets, Hooda acts as the anchor and builds the innings. India will need someone to do that, if any such unforeseen activity takes place. Given Hooda’s form with the bat since the IPL 2022, he surely deserves a place in the T20 World Cup squad and he surely remains a strong contender to be in the team for the mega event.