IPL 2022: Deepak Hooda puts tiff with Krunal Pandya to bed, says ‘brothers fight’

Almost a year after Deepak Hooda had to leave Baroda’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy squad due to a tiff with Krunal Pandya, the two two are playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2022. Last week, a picture of the two celebrating a wicket had gone viral on social media. It seems like they have buried the hatchet. 

Krunal Pandya and Deepak Hooda will be seen in action when the Lucknow Super Giants take on the Delhi Capitals at the DY Patil Staium, Navi Mumbai on Thursday. 

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Hooda played for Rajasthan in the 2021-22 domestic season. At Baroda, he had alleged that the senior Pandya brother was trying to pull him down. As per the all-rounder, Krunal also warned him that he would ensure he did not play for Baroda again. 

On Thursday, in a conversation with the Dainik Jagaran, Deepak Hooda revealed that he considers Pandya as his brother. 

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 “Krunal Pandya is like my brother, and brothers do fight. We are playing with one aim, which is to win games for LSG,” the 26-year-old said. 

During Lucknow’s first match this season, Hooda and Krunal Pandya were photographed embracing each other after the former had taken a catch to dismiss Gujarat Titans’ opener Shubman Gill. The picture had gone viral on social media. 

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After his spat with Pandya, Hooda took up the finisher’s role at Rajasthan. He also made his international debut and was picked by the LSG for Rs 5.75 crore. He had drawn bids from as many as six franchises during the IPL 2022 mega auction in February. Krunal Pandya was bought for Rs 8.25 crore.

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So far, both of them have played key roles in the franchise’s two wins in the season. Hooda has scored 119 runs and picked one wicket in three matches. Pandya on the other hand has three wickets and scores of 21* and seven so far.