An allrounder who can bat in any position, Deepak Hooda also bowls offbreaks, offers plenty of athleticism as a boundary fielder, and is an asset in any T20 side. His big hitting as a 19-year-old in his debut IPL season, in 2015, earned with the nickname "Hurricane Hooda", but more importantly, got him a Rs 4.2 crore (US$ 622,000 approx) contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad at the next auction.

Hooda's game is also suited to the longer formats. Appointed Baroda's captain at the start of the 2016-17 Ranji season, he reeled off three consecutive hundreds, including an unbeaten 293 against Punjab, but struggled to convert his starts thereafter. In 2021, Baroda suspended him for indiscipline after he left the T20 squad, having accused captain Krunal Pandya of "bullying" and using abusive language. He moved to Rajasthan the next season.

But Hooda patched things up with Pandya before the start of the 2022 IPL, and had a breakout season for Lucknow Super Giants under Pandya's captaincy. Immediately after, he scored his maiden T20I hundred - in only his third innings - against Ireland in Malahide and found himself included in the 2022 T20 World Cup squad.