Rajasthan captain Deepak Hooda delivered an extraordinary innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) semi-final against Karnataka at Rajkot on December 14, marking it as one of the most remarkable performances in Indian domestic cricket history.
The 28-year-old left a lasting impression by crafting a brilliant innings of 180 runs from 128 deliveries against the four-time Vijay Hazare Trophy champions. His innings featured 19 fours and five sixes. Despite Karnataka’s recovery from 87/4 to 282/8 in 50 overs, Rajasthan faced a challenging situation at 1/2 in their run chase.
Despite the opening bowlers Vasuki Koushik and Vijaykumar Vyshak posing a significant threat and an early finish seeming likely, Hooda had different plans. Even after losing the third wicket with only 23 runs on the board, he remained determined to change the course of the game.
Here are three milestones achieved by Hooda in his extraordinary innings of 180:
#3 The second-highest individual score in an Indian domestic List-A run-chase by a batsman
In recent years, high individual scores have become common, mainly in T20 cricket, often achieved when batting first. Notably, remarkable individual scores during run-chases are more memorable due to the added challenge, exemplified by Glenn Maxwell’s double-century against Afghanistan in the recent World Cup.
Hooda’s outstanding 180 is the second-highest List-A score in an Indian domestic run chase, with Prithvi Shaw’s 185* holding the top spot. Notably, both Shaw and Hooda, captaining their teams, achieved similar feats, chasing identical targets.
Shaw scored 185 in a 285-run chase for Mumbai, leading to a nine-wicket win. His impressive form continued with 165 in the semi-final and 73 in the final, securing Mumbai’s fourth Vijay Hazare Trophy title.
#2 The fourth-highest individual score in a knockout game of the Vijay Hazare Trophy
Deepak Hooda’s 180 stands as the fourth-highest score in a Vijay Hazare Trophy Knockout game, trailing Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravikumar Samarth, and Prithvi Shaw.
Notably, Shaw’s 185 for Mumbai against Saurashtra in the 2021 quarter-final is the highest, while Gaikwad holds the record for the only double-century in a VHT knockout.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s captaincy brilliance was evident in his 220-run knock for Maharashtra against Uttar Pradesh in the 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy quarter-finals, leading to a 58-run win. Similarly, R Samarth’s impressive 192 runs for Karnataka against Kerala in the 2021 quarter-finals secured an 80-run victory.
Notably, Deepak Hooda’s exceptional 180 is the highest score in a Vijay Hazare Trophy knockout game, specifically in a semi-final or final, and it also stands as the highest against Karnataka in a one-day contest.
#1 Fifth-highest List-A score in a run-chase from No.4 or below
Impressive individual scores in limited-overs cricket typically originate from openers or No.3 batsmen, rendering achievements from the middle order particularly commendable.
Hooda’s 180 is among the top five highest List-A scores in run-chases from No.4 or below, with Glenn Maxwell leading the list with his 201* in the 2023 World Cup.
After Maxwell, Samiuallah Shenwari from Afghanistan and Raqibul Hasan from Bangladesh hold the second and third positions with scores of 192 and 190, respectively, in domestic List-A matches.
The fourth position is occupied by Ross Taylor’s 181 during New Zealand’s chase of 336 against England in 2018. Hooda’s innings of 180 now ranks him fifth in this category.
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