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Name: Deepak Jagbir Hooda

Born: April 19, 1995

Deepak Hooda has established himself as a prominent cricketer in domestic and international circuits. An all-rounder who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm off-break, Hooda's cricketing journey reflects his versatility and significant contributions to the teams he has represented, including the Indian cricket team, Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and Rajasthan in domestic cricket.

By the age of 14, he was playing at a senior level, representing the Kendriya Vidyalaya U-17 cricket team in the SGFI in 2009. Over time, he developed into a batting all-rounder, gaining recognition for his powerful hitting and ability to clear the boundaries quickly.

Hooda's domestic career is marked by several key milestones that highlight his growth as a cricketer. He made his IPL debut on April 10, 2015, for Rajasthan Royals against Punjab Kings, scoring 30 runs off 15 balls. In his second IPL match, he scored his maiden half-century, which earned him the man of the match title. His proficiency as a batsman was further highlighted when he scored his first double-century in first-class cricket during the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy playing for Baroda.

In the IPL, Hooda's career saw him moving between teams. Initially bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹4.2 crores in 2016, he was retained ahead of the 2017 auction but released after the 10th edition of the IPL. He was again bought by the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2018 auction but was released ahead of the 2020 IPL auction. Subsequently, he was purchased by the Kings XI Punjab ahead of the 2020 Indian Premier League. In the 2022 IPL auction, Hooda was purchased by the Lucknow Super Giants for ₹5.75 crores.

Hooda's international career began when he was named in India's squad for their T20 International (T20I) series against Sri Lanka in November 2017. Although named in the team for the 2018 Nidahas Trophy, he did not play. He was part of India's team for the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.

A significant breakthrough in his international career came in January 2022, when he was named in India's One Day International (ODI) squad for their series against the West Indies, making his ODI debut in the first game. The following month, he made his T20I debut for India against Sri Lanka.

In June 2022, Hooda was part of India's T20I squad for their series against Ireland. In the second match of this series, he scored his maiden T20I century, contributing to a record partnership with Sanju Samson. This partnership of 176 runs became the highest for the second wicket in men's T20I cricket and the highest for any wicket for India in T20Is. His performances earned him a place in India's squad for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.

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