Reports: Rajasthan skipper Deepak Hooda sits out team practice amid tensions with ad hoc panel

Rajasthan captain Deepak Hooda has been catching every headline after reports of him being unhappy with certain calls over player selection. Being unhappy saw him sitting out of the team practice session on the eve of their Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Elite Group B match against Hyderabad in Jaipur.

Several reports emerged that stated that the situation with Hooda has been persistent and issues have been present since the start of the season. The report also mentions of disagreements between the ad hoc panel and Hooda and the coach as well.

“This has been an issue since the start of the season. There have been multiple disagreements over player selection between the ad hoc panel and the captain and coach. However, yesterday, things got a bit out of control as the captain, although he came for the practice session, continued to sit out,” a source in the know was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

“He was constantly on his phone, busy on calls with the ad hoc committee members and the Sports Minister (Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore),” he added.

Some reports also stated that many ad hoc members had even threatened to quit if their suggestions were not listened to. However, despite the tensions surrounding Hooda, the 29-year-old had attended the team meeting on November 5. Furthermore, the skipper also has the support of the coach, vice captain Deepak Chahar, and several core members of the side.

Interestingly, the ad hoc panel is being led by Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Jaideep Bihani. It was formed in March 2024 to oversee cricket-related activities and even help in holding the elections of the state body. Furthermore, Pawan Goyal, Dharmveer Singh Shekhawat, and Harish Singh have been appointed to assist Ratan Singh, who is the convener of the ad hoc panel.

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Talking about the ongoing situation between Hooda and the committee, Dharmveer Singh Shekhawat came forward and talked about how differing opinions are common when there are multiple heads.

“These things happen when there are a number of people trying to make a decision. The more the heads, more the opinions. It isn’t wrong and it is not a controversy. The captain wanted wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore to continue despite the fact that he hasn’t performed for a while now. He has hit only one fifty in his last three games,” Dharmveer Singh said.