Team India batter Deepak Hooda showcased impressive form in the T20I series opener against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. The Men in Blue were in trouble after losing wickets in quick succession after the visitors decided to field first. Hooda, who walked out to bat at No.6, delivered a gutsy performance to take India to a decent total. The swashbuckler struck an unconquered 41 off just 23 balls. He entertained viewers with his quick-fire knock, hitting four stunning sixes and one boundary. Hooda stitched together a stunning unbeaten partnership of 68 runs with Axar Patel for the sixth wicket, helping India post 162/5 in 20 overs. Several fans took to social media to shower praise on Hooda for his batting exploits in the encounter. Here are some of the reactions on Twitter:Shitheesh Unnikrishnan 🏏@shitheeshWell played, Deepak Hooda. He came when India was 77/4, he scored 41* runs from 23 balls including 1 four and 4 Sixes against Sri Lanka in first T20I match. Superb innings in tough situation.Well played, Deepak Hooda. He came when India was 77/4, he scored 41* runs from 23 balls including 1 four and 4 Sixes against Sri Lanka in first T20I match. Superb innings in tough situation. https://t.co/f7HESWLamzTushar 🇮🇳@Tushar69406576@BCCI Deepak Hooda is the perfect reflection of Yusuf Pathan.* He is tall & strong * He has long bat swing* He has ability to hit long* He can deliver 2 or 3 over from 20He can be fail,but he is India's genuine finisher in T20.6@BCCI Deepak Hooda is the perfect reflection of Yusuf Pathan.* He is tall & strong * He has long bat swing* He has ability to hit long* He can deliver 2 or 3 over from 20He can be fail,but he is India's genuine finisher in T20.Niklaus@NikhilDhfcDeepak Hooda he is Proving himselfDeepak Hooda he is Proving himselfᴅᴊ ᴠᴇᴇʀᴀʏʏᴀ 😎@BossOfBossesFanThat Agression In Hooda's Face Is #DeepakHooda2That Agression In Hooda's Face Is 🔥🔥🔥#DeepakHoodaIts Moki Here@HereMokiHodda started new year with a bangWell Played Champ🥳#hodda #DeepakHooda #INDvsSLHodda started new year with a bang🔥Well Played Champ🥳#hodda #DeepakHooda #INDvsSLRandom Tweets@indian_perceiveI can see how badly Deepak Hooda wants to perform for India.A good innings. #INDvsSL1I can see how badly Deepak Hooda wants to perform for India.A good innings. #INDvsSL𝙋𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙠@PrateekncmishraThis Deepak Hooda lad really packs a punch.#INDvsSLThis Deepak Hooda lad really packs a punch.#INDvsSLSoorya Sesha@sooryasesha7Well played Deepak Hooda. Out of position but he's stepped up and done his bit today.India definitely short, but something to play with. Dew could be the decisive factor as obvious as it might sound. There is some grip on this deck #INDvSL71Well played Deepak Hooda. Out of position but he's stepped up and done his bit today.India definitely short, but something to play with. Dew could be the decisive factor as obvious as it might sound. There is some grip on this deck #INDvSLHarsh Tegta@tegtaharsh97Deepak Hooda is the 'Suresh Raina' type player India was looking for a long long time, can play big knocks, can finish games and also can bowl well off spin ! He's a gem player !#INDvSL #INDvsSL1Deepak Hooda is the 'Suresh Raina' type player India was looking for a long long time, can play big knocks, can finish games and also can bowl well off spin ! He's a gem player !#INDvSL #INDvsSLPrashanta Sinha@PrashantaSinhaDeepak Hooda making his presence felt.Deepak Hooda making his presence felt.👀@omg_bro_wtf@mufaddal_vohra Deepak Hooda supremacy 🫡🫡31@mufaddal_vohra Deepak Hooda supremacy 🫡🫡Nirmal Jyothi@majornirmalOne thing #SanjuSamson can learn from #DeepakHooda is how to encash opportunities. #INDvsSL #Wankhede5One thing #SanjuSamson can learn from #DeepakHooda is how to encash opportunities. #INDvsSL #WankhedeRK@Mahigoat007@ashwinravi99 Deepak Hooda showing class!@ashwinravi99 Deepak Hooda showing class!Sanchit Desai@sanchitd43Witnessed a special innings from Deepak Hooda tonight! It was electric. #INDvSLWitnessed a special innings from Deepak Hooda tonight! It was electric. #INDvSLBharat lodhaINC@Bharatlodha14Hooda on fire #DeepakHooda #INDvsSLHooda on fire #DeepakHooda #INDvsSLSri Lanka won the toss and decided to bowl first in the opening encounter of the T20I series. While Indian opener Ishan Kishan chipped in with a valuable 37-run knock, the other top-order batters failed to make their presence felt. Apart from Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel's late blitz, skipper Hardik Pandya also contributed 29 crucial runs as the Men in Blue gave Sri Lanka a target of 163 runs. Deepak Hooda was in tremendous form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2022-23Deepak Hooda made his return to the Ranji Trophy after almost three years. Playing for Rajasthan in the ongoing season of the domestic competition, the right-handed batter played some spectacular knocks prior to the Sri Lanka series. The 27-year-old hit two hundreds and a half-century in three innings. The talented batting all-rounder mustered 382 runs at a mammoth average of 191. The part-time spinner also went on to bag three scalps in those appearances.Lucknow Super Giants@LucknowIPL#ICYMI (like us ) दबंग दीपक के धमाकेदार शतक केरल के खिलाफ़ @HoodaOnFire | #RanjiTrophy | #LucknowSuperGiants | #LSG36420#ICYMI (like us 🙈) 👉 दबंग दीपक के 2️⃣ धमाकेदार शतक केरल के खिलाफ़ 😎💯@HoodaOnFire | #RanjiTrophy | #LucknowSuperGiants | #LSG https://t.co/1jvkczDh6ZNotably, Hooda is not a part of India's ODI squad for the Sri Lanka home series. He will be aiming to come up with such dominant performances in the coming games too, as he looks to cement his place in the country's white-ball teams.