He has had a couple of lacklustre IPL seasons but the upcoming stint with CSK will give him the perfect opportunity to revive his career.
India all-rounder Deepak Hooda is all set to redeem himself after being picked by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) auction last month for INR 1.7 crores. Prior to his move to CSK, Hooda played for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after being bought the franchise for INR 5.75 crores during the IPL 2022 mega-auction.
The drop in his price clearly indicates that Hooda hasn’t been living up to standards. In fact, he has had a couple of lacklustre IPL seasons and has subsequently fallen out of the reckoning for the national team. Hooda managed 145 runs in IPL 2024 and played only 11 games. In 2023, he scored a paltry 84 runs at 7.63.
Also, the 29-year-old’s last appearance in the Indian jersey came back in 2023 during a home T20I series against New Zealand.
Thus, the upcoming stint with CSK will give him the perfect opportunity to revive his career and prove his utility in a bid to return to the scheme of things.
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Deepak Hooda looks like he is taking all the right steps ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 season and getting the attention of the CSK selectors with stellar performances in the recently-concluded short-format domestic tournament – Syed Muhstaq Ali Trophy (SMAT).
Playing for Rajasthan in the SMAT, Hooda scored 178 runs in 7 matches, with a best score of 65, averaging 29.66 while maintaining an impressive strike rate of 143.54.
Apart from his SMAT heroics, Hooda is also a proven contender in IPL. Hooda has managed to impress in the cash-rich tournament, albeit just once since his debut in 2015 — during the 2022 season when he amassed 451 runs in 15 matches at an average of 32.21.
This standout performance also earned him a spot in the Indian team, where he notched up a century too.
Known for his versatility, Hooda is capable of making an impact as either a top-order or middle-order batter, while his off-spin bowling enhances the value he brings to any T20 team. With clear role definition and steady backing, he has the ability to return to his best form.
His all-around capabilities also provide significant depth and flexibility to any squad he becomes a part of. Keeping that in mind, it is certain CSK will be willing to take the punt on the Indian all-rounder during the IPL 2025 and till then, Hooda just needs to be patient for his chance and capitalise on it when it arrives.
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