BCA trying to bring back Deepak Hooda to play for Baroda

Deepak Hooda has been in the news ever since his tiff with Krunal Pandya while playing for the same stateside Baroda. 

Ever since moving out of Baroda, Hooda has opened a new chapter in his career, making his debut for India, and has even managed to give a solid performance for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. As luck would have it, he was joined by Krunal at LSG.

The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) is trying to imitate the same with their Ranji team. A top official in the BCA has told Indian Express that they want Hooda back in the setup, as both the players have seemingly patched up and want to build a strong line-up.

"Whatever has happened, has happened. We are trying to convince Hooda to come back and play for Baroda again. He has also patched up with Krunal, so there is no reason left for not coming back to Baroda. We had already expressed our interest in him, and it will be his decision. We hope that he agrees to it," an unnamed BCA official said.

Hooda played for Rajasthan after leaving Baroda in 2021. The right-hander played 46 First-Class and 68 List A games for Baroda during his time there. In addition, the all-rounder has played 3 T20Is and 2 ODIs for India.

The decision still is in Hooda's court, and he will only confirm where he is headed after the completion of IPL. During the IPL, Hooda revealed that there is animosity between both the players, and they have moved on.

"Krunal Pandya is like my brother, and brothers do fight. We are playing with one aim: win games for LSG," Hooda told Dainik Jagran.

The Rohtak-born has scored 406 runs in this IPL for KL Rahul-led side and was named in India's T20I squad for the upcoming home series against South Africa.