Remember the name: Praful Hinge. The Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler burst onto the IPL scene on Monday, turning heads during his debut against the Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. In a tournament that has run for 19 years, it took Hinge just one over to make history—he became the first bowler in that span to strike three times within the opening over of a chase. The 24-year-old from Vidarbha delivered the breakthrough in his very first game, dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius. While more established quicks such as Jasprit Bumrah and Josh Hazlewood could not find the same impact, Hinge needed only a single delivery to set the tone and dismantle the 15-year-old’s rhythm.
The breakthrough started with a short ball that hurried Sooryavanshi. Pace did the rest as the batter’s top edge rose straight up, and Salil Arora took a straightforward catch behind the stumps. A few balls later, Hinge struck again, removing Jurel and then Lhuan-dre Pretorius in quick succession. The result was brutal for Rajasthan’s top order, with both batters falling for two-ball ducks. There was added significance too: it was the first time Sooryavanshi had been dismissed for a golden duck in his brief IPL run so far.
Hinge’s debut path had been close to happening earlier. He was originally expected to make his first appearance in the previous IPL 2026 contest against the Punjab Kings. At the toss, Ishan Kishan—captain of SRH—also named Hinge, but the franchise ultimately opted to use Jaydev Unadkat as the impact player instead. Then, a game later, Hinge finally got his chance, and the tall pacer made it count in the most dramatic way.
In that debut match, Hinge joined an elite group. He became only the eighth bowler in IPL history to take four wickets within the powerplay, aligning himself with the likes of Pat Cummins, Ishant Sharma, Shoaib Akhtar, Deepak Chahar and Mohammed Shami. For many viewers, this was also the moment to learn who Hinge is and how he arrived at the IPL stage.
Hinge is a right-arm pacer who represents Vidarbha in domestic cricket and was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 30 lakh. His senior debut across formats came in the 2024-25 season. In his first 10 first-class matches, he picked up 27 wickets at an average of 26.66. In List A cricket, he has taken five wickets in six matches. Prior to his IPL debut, he had played only one T20 game at the top level, claiming one wicket. That lone T20 appearance saw him open the bowling alongside Varun Aaron, finishing with figures of 1/23.
Off the field, Hinge’s development has been shaped by dedicated training. Since 2022, he has worked with the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai, and in 2024 he also attended a 15-day camp in Brisbane. His background is modest, with his father working for the state electricity board. He trained at the same MRF setup alongside former India pacer Varun Aaron, and there’s a notable link between the two: Aaron is currently the bowling coach of Sunrisers Hyderabad for the IPL 2026 season.
Injuries have also been part of Hinge’s journey. He has dealt with back issues, and over the last few months he has been working closely with Aaron to refine his action and reduce the chances of breaking down. For Hinge, the payoff came immediately—turning his first IPL outing into a statement that will be remembered long after the scoreboard fades.
