Praful Hinge could hardly have scripted a more perfect opening to his IPL stint. Backed by Sunrisers Hyderabad to lead the new-ball charge against a Rajasthan Royals outfit that had been hitting its stride, the 24-year-old made an instant impact. In his first over, he completely flipped the contest’s momentum by striking three times in quick succession—dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius. Rajasthan never truly found their footing after that early setback. Hinge kept the pressure building with disciplined lines and lengths, finished his spell with four wickets, and capped a standout debut by being named Player of the Match.
Yet, the pathway to that kind of moment wasn’t always clear to him. When he began serious training around the age of 13, he still didn’t fully understand how the broader cricketing structure operated. Like many young hopefuls, he initially believed that it might be possible to step straight into the Indian team without first enduring the hard grind of domestic and first-class cricket. Over time, with experience and exposure, that understanding became much sharper.
Cricket, meanwhile, was never far from home. His father, too, had once been a fast bowler and had even harboured dreams of moving up the ladder, but eventually chose to concentrate on his studies. He has since retired from his role at a state electricity board. His father ensured his son wouldn’t face the same uncertainty and remained a steady support throughout. At the same time, there was also a healthy competitive edge within the family. With his sister performing well academically, Hinge felt he had to prove himself on his own terms. That combination of internal motivation and constant backing helped him stay focused and continue climbing.
There were setbacks along the way, particularly in 2015, when he turned up for the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Under-14 trials but failed to get through on his first attempt. Instead of letting that disappointment linger, he became even more determined, refocusing his energy and tightening his approach to the game.
The Vidarbha pacer has also spoken with admiration about veteran India fast bowler Umesh Yadav, noting that he learned from being around him in domestic cricket. In an earlier conversation, Hinge described Yadav’s journey as a source of inspiration and explained that he picked up several practical lessons from the senior quick.
“Umesh Yadav’s journey inspires me. When I shared a dressing room with him, I learned a lot of things. He used to share many stories about his journey, and whenever he narrated them, lagta thaa ki inke jaisa hi banna hain (I felt like I wanted to be just like him). He reached great heights despite having nothing, and that’s inspiring,” Hinge said in that interview, as shared by Lokmat Times Nagpur a couple of months earlier.
Hinge has also recalled how SRH’s interest came to him at a very personal time. He said he was selected by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 30 lakh and watched the auction from a temple close to his home. When the franchise raised their paddle, he felt a wave of relief first, followed quickly by excitement at the prospect of sharing the dressing room with Pat Cummins — one of his own idols.
Varun Aaron a guiding light in Praful Hinge's career
His rise, however, wasn’t a straight line. A couple of years earlier, he had to deal with a back problem that threatened to disturb his progress. During that phase, he received timely assistance from Varun Aaron. Aaron, who is now SRH’s bowling coach, drew on his own experiences with injuries and helped rebuild Hinge’s confidence, playing a major role in his return.
That support didn’t stop there. Another significant boost arrived when pace great Glenn McGrath, the director of the MRF Pace Foundation, brought Hinge to Brisbane. There, he trained at Cricket Australia’s facilities, an opportunity that added another layer to his preparation and mindset.
“Legendary Glenn McGrath spotted him and took him to Brisbane in 2022, where he attended a training camp for 20-25 days. All this experience filled him with confidence,” Hinge’s father said in a statement shared by News18CricketNext.
