Deepak Hooda

Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL

It's not been a great start for Punjab Kings in UAE leg of IPL 2021 after they dramatically lost against Rajasthan Royals. KL Rahul's side failed to score 4 runs in the final over and lost the match against all odds. Deepak Hooda was one of the batsmen who came under the radar for team's failure as he had a chance to take the team over the line but got out for a two-ball duck.

Just when Punjab and Hooda would have thought that things could not go worse, it was revealed on Wednesday that BCCI's Anti-Corruption Unit have notably been called in to investigate a social media post of the PBKS all-rounder ahead of his side's match against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. The post allegedly breaches the guidelines which is why it has come under the scanner.

What was Hooda's post on social media?

The 26-year-old had notably posted an image of himself (in helmet) on his social media account on Wednesday with a caption, "Here we go." Although it could have been a normal post about getting geared up for the match, the phrase 'Here we go' has become quite a famous one in the world of sports, as it is often used by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano to confirm any deal.

Looking at the image and caption, it seems as if Deepak Hooda might have hinted towards his inclusion in Punjab's playing XI around five hours before the toss as the post was made around 2:03 PM IST. As per the guidelines, players cannot reveal the composition of a team to anyone which is why the Anti-Corruption Unit of BCCI is looking into the matter.

Here is Hooda's post:

There is a guideline on the dos and don’ts: ACU official

Reflecting on the situation, an ACU official clarified that there is a guideline on the dos and don'ts for players regarding how they should react/post on social media. “ACU will look into this post. Our restrictions are that there shall not be any talk about the composition of the team,” the official said as quoted by ANI. It will be intriguing to see how events unfold from here as fans will have to wait until the final verdict of the investigation is out.