On Wednesday, BCCI announced the Indian team squads for the upcoming home series against West Indies. Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi earned a maiden call-up for the T20I series and experienced bowler Kuldeep Yadav also returned to the national squad.
Apart from this, Rajasthan captain Deepak Hooda also received a call-up in India's squad for the three-match ODI series. The 26-year-old was rewarded for his performances for Rajasthan in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali as well as Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan congratulated Hooda and highlighted the “tough” period which the player has gone through.
"You came out of a tough phase, you kept fighting, kept performing. So proud @HoodaOnFire congratulations. Make the most of it. Congratulations to Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan too," Irfan wrote on Twitter.
Earlier, Irfan defended Hooda after a fallout with Baroda captain Krunal Pandya in 2021. The Baroda Cricket Association had suspended Hooda and he later left the bio-bubble following an argument with Krunal.
The all-rounder decided to leave Baroda and shift to Rajasthan for the next domestic season.
Irfan Pathan had described Hooda’s exit from Baroda cricket as “utterly disappointing”.
“How many cricket associations will lose out on a player who is in the Indian team probables list? Deepak Hooda leaving Baroda cricket is a huge loss. He could have easily given his services for another ten years as he is still young. As a Barodian It’s utterly disappointing!” Pathan had tweeted.
Hooda was a part of the Nidahas Trophy squad in Bangladesh four seasons ago but never received a chance to play in the XI. The West Indies tour can be an interesting assignment in his career.
The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team will play 3 ODIs at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad from February 6 followed by the 3-match T20I series at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
