Rajasthan’s cricket captain Deepak Hooda finds himself in a challenging situation, as reports suggest a rift with the Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) management. According to Sportskeeda, Hooda expressed dissatisfaction over certain selection decisions and even skipped pre-match training at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium ahead of an important game against Hyderabad.
The disagreement reportedly centers on the exclusion of wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore. Hooda, along with the team’s vice-captain, strongly advocated for Rathore’s inclusion, even threatening to step down from his leadership role if his request was ignored. The RCA initially resisted but eventually conceded to Hooda’s demand, hoping to keep team harmony ahead of the Hyderabad match.
“This has been brewing since the start of the season,” a source told Sportstar, revealing multiple disagreements over player selection between the RCA’s ad-hoc panel and the team’s captain and coach. Hooda attended the practice session but remained on the sidelines, visibly frustrated, and spent much of the time in discussions with the ad-hoc committee and the Sports Minister.
Selection panel member Dharmveer explained the committee’s perspective, saying, “When multiple people make decisions, opinions naturally vary.” We included the captain and coach in all selection meetings. While Kunal hasn’t performed consistently, Hooda felt he could impact the game.” Dharmveer further added that another player, Rajkumar Saini, had also shown promise in domestic cricket, but they ultimately respected Hooda’s preference.
Hooda’s past rift with Krunal Pandya during his time with Baroda adds context to the ongoing tensions, as he left Baroda for Rajasthan in 2020 after similar disputes. As of the latest match update, Hooda is leading Rajasthan against Hyderabad, who stand at 191/4, showcasing his determination to see his team through despite internal challenges.
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