Deepak Hooda threw his hat in the ring for a spot in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup later this year in emphatic fashion on Tuesday. He scored a century in the second T20I against Ireland, reaching the three-figure mark in just 55 balls and thus became just the fourth Indian batsman to score a ton in the shortest format of the game.
One of those players, Suresh Raina, took note of Hooda's exploits and congratulated the batter on Instagram. “Welcome to the club @deepakhooda30 well played,” said Raina in the comments section of a video that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) posted on Instagram of Hooda speaking with Sanju Samson.
KL Rahul and regular captain Rohit Sharma are the only other players to have scored centuries for India in T20 Internationals. Hooda had put up a whirlwind 176-run stand for the second wicket with Samson, which came in just 87 balls. It was the highest partnership for India in any position in T20Is.
Hooda smashed nine fours and six sixes but he did slow down once he got closer to his century. The 28-year-old admitted that he was feeling nervous at the time. “We were telling each other of course that we will just follow our instincts. But yes, it was nervous 90's. It was the first time I got to that situation playing for India. I was nervous but things turned out well,” Hooda can be heard saying in the video.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda smashed nine fours and six sixes but he did slow down once he got closer to his century. The 28-year-old admitted that he was feeling nervous at the time. “We were telling each other of course that we will just follow our instincts. But yes, it was nervous 90's. It was the first time I got to that situation playing for India. I was nervous but things turned out well,” Hooda can be heard saying in the video.
{{/usCountry}}Hooda was eventually dismissed on 104 off 57 balls and helped India reach a score of 225/7. However, Ireland did not roll over easily and even threatened to pull off an improbable chase, eventually losing the match by just four runs.