'India need somebody like him' – Sanjay Manjrekar Backs Deepak Hooda For T20 WC

Team India announced a 17-man squad for the upcoming two-match T20I series against Ireland, starting from June 26. Most of the players selected for the recently concluded South African series have retained their places. 

However, with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant missing out on the Ireland series due to their Test commitments in England, we might see a couple of new faces making it to India's playing XI against Ireland. 

Meanwhile, the former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Deepak Hooda, who impressed with his stellar performances in the latest edition of IPL, should play the series against Ireland. 

"I am expecting him to get a look in this (Ireland) series because I thought we saw the best of Deepak Hooda in this last IPL. He has been around for a long time, and you have seen sporadic displays of his work and his ability. The last IPL, he came of age," Manjrekar said on a Sony Sports show. 

In the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, the right-handed batter finished as the 10th highest run-scorer with 451 runs in 14 innings, including four fifty-plus scores. However, despite his scintillating performances, Hooda was not given an opportunity against South Africa as team India played with an unchanged side throughout the series. 

The inclusion of Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik in the middle order has made it difficult for the Baroda cricketer as India faces a 'problem of plenty' for the middle order.

"India needs somebody like him down the order, it's a very difficult job and Hood did a terrific job in IPL. He is somebody that India will I am sure look at. If they would not have been part of their plans, so I am hoping that the guys who did really well in that series against South Africa then rested and start looking at these people and give them a long rope," Manjrekar added. 

Manjrekar also feels that Hooda, with his off-spin abilities, can contribute with the ball whenever the team needs him on a dry pitch. 

"You always need guys who can command a place as batter but chip in with a couple of overs. That's where Hooda on a dry pitch could come to good use," he said.

Backing Hooda for the Ireland series, the 56-year-old added that India needs a player like Hooda in the batting order who can change the game in a whisker with his explosive batting.

"India needs somebody like him down the order, it's a very difficult job and Hood did a terrific job in IPL. He is somebody that India will I am sure look at. If they would not have been part of their plans, so I am hoping that the guys who did really well in that series against South Africa then rested and start looking at these people and give them a long rope," Manjrekar added.

The 27-year-old made his international debut for team India earlier this year in ODIs against West Indies, where he played a couple of good innings. He was also included in the T20I series against Sri Lanka, where he only had one opportunity to bat and smashed 16-ball 21. 

The upcoming tour of Ireland will be crucial for Hooda if he manages to make it to the playing XI. He will have a chance to showcase his all-round skills at the highest level and boost his chances of making it to the squad for the T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played later this year in Australia.