Not Rohit or Kohli! Former wicket-keeper names India's biggest match-winner in white-ball cricket currently
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have not enjoyed best of forms in 2022.
India have already pocketed the ongoing three-match ODI series against West Indies 2-0 with back-to-back wins in the first two matches at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad. In the absence of a number of first-team players, Shikhar Dhawan has been leading the side against the hosts and a number of youngsters have stepped up to impress in the first two matches for the Men in Blue.
One of the youngsters who have impressed the most for Team India recently is all-rounder Deepak Hooda, who has continued his fine form in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies. Hooda has turned out to be a revelation for the Men in Blue this year and has grown in stature since making his international debut earlier this year.
Hooda made his debut for India against West Indies in February this year and has since notched several impressive performances with the bat to become a strong contender for selection in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2022. Hooda had recently become only the fifth Indian batter to slam a T20I century against Ireland.
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He has so far played 4 ODIs and 6 T20Is for India, amassing 115 and 205 runs in the two formats respectively. Lauding him for his recent heroics, former India wicket-keeper Saba Karim called Hooda the biggest match-winner for India in white-ball cricket at present. Karim believes Hooda can win matches for India with both the bat and the ball.
"For me, Deepak Hooda is currently the biggest match-winner in the Indian white-ball team. He is turning out to be an incredible addition to the team and believes that he can contribute as an all-rounder. He is bowling with the same confidence as he did in the IPL and is keen on getting better," Karim said on India News.
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Hooda had a fantastic campaign for Lucknow Super Giant (LSG) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 where he became indispensable for the team after consistent performances in the middle order. Hooda scored 432 runs in 15 matches at an average of 32.21 and a strike rate of over 136 in IPL 2022.
He has continued his purple patch for Team India following the conclusion of the IPL and has given the selectors a major headache ahead of the T20 World Cup 2022. The right-hander will be looking to continue his fine form in the upcoming matches for India and it remains to be seen if he will make the cut in India's squad for the Asia Cup 2022.