Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain, both making their IPL debuts, combined to power Sunrisers Hyderabad to a crushing 57-run victory over Rajasthan Royals on Monday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The win moved SRH to only their second triumph of the IPL 2026 campaign.
Hinge and Hussain were the defining forces with the ball, taking four wickets apiece as SRH restricted Rajasthan and then defended the total they had built. Together, the two fast bowlers finished with figures of 8 for 58, dismantling the chase and turning the match firmly in Hyderabad’s favour.
How SRH turned the chase
- SRH beat Rajasthan Royals by 57 runs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Monday.
- Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain made their IPL debuts.
- Both bowlers took four wickets each, with combined figures of 8 for 58.
- Hinge became the first player in IPL history to take three wickets in the opening over of a chase.
- Hinge’s next over also brought a wicket, as he dismissed captain Riyan Parag.
- Sakib Hussain struck in the powerplay by removing Yashasvi Jaiswal.
- That early blow triggered a lower-order collapse, sealing the result for SRH.
- SRH secured just their second win of the IPL 2026 season.
Rajasthan were chasing 215, but the reply unraveled almost immediately. Hinge produced an extraordinary start, wrecking the Royals’ plans in the very first over by taking three wickets. His fourth wicket arrived in the following over, when he removed Riyan Parag, further underlining how quickly SRH seized control.
After Hinge’s burst of early breakthroughs, Hussain struck during the powerplay by dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal. From there, Rajasthan’s batting never found any rhythm, and the collapse in the lower order ensured SRH stayed on course to finish the job.
Varun Aaron’s message to the debutants
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, SRH bowling coach Varun Aaron explained what he had told the two debutants before they took the field. Aaron said his approach was simple: let the players enjoy the moment, because a debut is a rare opportunity that comes only once in a player’s career across formats.
He added that he had hoped to see the bowlers taking the experience in stride, saying that if he didn’t notice them enjoying it, he would have been upset. Aaron also pointed out that the debutants truly embraced the occasion, and that the whole group shared in the joy.
Aaron also disclosed that his recommendation played a part in the decision to bring Hinge and Hussain into the SRH setup. He said it was at his insistence that the franchise agreed to include both players during the auction last December for INR 30 lakh.
While Aaron acknowledged having seen them earlier and having put their names forward to the management, including Daniel Vettori and the coaching staff, he insisted he would not take individual credit for the final call. He stressed that auction purchases require full buy-in from the team, not just one person’s view.
Instead, Aaron framed the outcome as a collective achievement: SRH had backed the two young fast bowlers because of the confidence they felt about their potential. He noted that based on what he had observed in other competitions and in nets, he believed they possessed the “X-factor” needed for the big stage.
Praful Hinge’s injury comeback
Aaron’s influence on Praful Hinge’s rise is also tied to the seamer’s difficult journey back to cricket. Hinge, a 24-year-old fast bowler from Vidarbha, had played 10 Ranji Trophy matches and had made only a single T20 appearance before earning his IPL debut.
His path to the top had been disrupted by a serious injury early in his career. According to Prakash Hinge, Praful’s father, everyone feared the stress fracture could end his cricketing story, but Varun Aaron stepped in and helped him recover, guiding him through the challenging period.
Prakash Hinge said that when Praful suffered the stress fracture, the family and those around him believed his career might be over. He credited Aaron with coming in “like an angel” and taking him under his wing, describing how the support was almost hands-on through that dark phase.
