Deepak Hooda’s sixth-place innings proved game-changing in India’s maiden T20I victory over Sri Lanka. Hitters now play six different positions in 13 innings.
Deepak Hooda so far he has hit 13 times in his T20Is 16 times. And the big hitter has hit from six different positions so far. Hooda’s sixth-place hit in the first T20I against Sri Lanka, Huda’s unbeaten 41 in just 23 balls, proved to be a game changer at Wankhede Stadium. Not only did it pull India out of the hole, it also gave Hooda his second Player of the Match award in his short but impressive international career.
The soft-spoken Hooda had no qualms, admitting that adapting to his different hitting positions was difficult, even in the T20. “To be honest, it makes a big difference,” he said after India’s second straight win. “But I have to play the role that the team management gave me. You should be willing to fill the role of whatever suits your team best. “
Hooda said the roles were clear long before the game started, even though the batting positions were constantly changing.
“After losing the early wickets it was very clear that we needed to build a partnership. When you play sixth in the lower leagues you have to be prepared for situations like this. Slumps can happen at any time. It’s possible, but I wasn’t in a slump today and I was in a good position early on, but yeah, it’s the No. 6 or 7 role,” Hooda said. “This is what the game demands.
that you play after the turnstile and book a decent amount. That’s what I thought when I hit No. 6, I have to do my job as a finisher.”