Dublin: When Deepak Hooda opened assault with six sixes and nine fours against Ireland, an unprecedented century in Indian cricket was born! Yes, Deepak Hooda became the 100th Indian batter to score a century in various formats in the second T20I against Ireland here on Tuesday.
The list of centuries starts with Lala Amarnath in 1933, and WV Raman became the 50th player to score the milestone in 1992.
Now in 2022, Hooda became the 100th man in blue to score a century, surpassing more records along with it. He touched the milestone in his 5th international T20 with his maiden century.
Individual records aside, his partnership (176) with Sanju Samson in the second wicket also grabbed a place in the history, as it is the highest Indian partnership in a T20I as well as the highest 2nd wicket T20I partnership globally. The duo surpassed the Rohit-Rahul partnership of 165 in 2017 among Indian partnerships and 2020's Jos Butler-David Malan partnership (167) of England against South Africa, becoming the best 2nd wicket partnership ever. Against Ireland in 2018, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan had partnered 160, and in 2017, the duo partnered 158 against New Zealand. Both became old stories.
Baroda-based all-rounder Hooda is the 4th to score a century in a T20 International. Before him, Rohit Sharma hit four times, KL Rahul twice, and Raina once. Hooda's 104 from 57 balls is the fifth-highest T20 score by an Indian batter after Rohit's 118*, 119* and 106, and KL Rahul's 110* (* stands for not out).
Tuesday's total of 225/7 is the best fourth total of India against Ireland and the second-best T20I high score in Ireland. Further, Hooda's is the best individual score for a batter in Ireland, and before Hooda, it was Rohit Sharma's 97 in 2018.