Praful Hinge Shines Bright in IPL Debut with Historic Performance
Praful Hinge's Impressive IPL Debut
In a thrilling IPL debut on April 13, Praful Hinge, a pacer for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), made headlines with his explosive performance during the match against Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Hinge received his first IPL cap from the SRH management, stepping in for seasoned bowler Jaydev Unadkat, as confirmed by SRH's stand-in captain Ishan Kishan during the toss. This strategic move aimed to bolster the team's bowling lineup for the crucial match against the Royals.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Sets a Strong Total
After being asked to bat first by Rajasthan Royals' captain Riyan Parag, SRH posted a formidable score of 216/6 in their 20 overs. Ishan Kishan led the charge with a blistering 91 runs, supported by Heinrich Klaasen (40), Nitish Kumar Reddy (28), and Salil Arora (24*), despite facing early challenges.
Hinge's Historic Bowling Feat
Praful Hinge's debut match was nothing short of spectacular, as he quickly made his mark by dismantling the Rajasthan Royals' top order. In his very first over, he claimed three wickets, starting with the dangerous Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who fell for a golden duck, followed by Dhruv Jurel, who also went for a two-ball duck.
Hinge capped off his remarkable over by dismissing Lhuan-dre Pretorius, achieving a rare milestone as the first bowler in IPL history to take three wickets in a single over.
His performance didn't stop there; he later took the wicket of RR captain Riyan Parag for just 4 runs, further solidifying his impact on the game.
Outstanding Bowling Figures
In his initial three overs, Praful Hinge recorded impressive figures of 4 wickets for just 18 runs, maintaining an economy rate of 6. This outstanding performance played a crucial role in dismantling the Rajasthan Royals' batting order.
Background of Praful Hinge
Hailing from a modest family in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Praful Hinge's journey to cricket began with support from his father, Prakash Hinge, who works at the state electricity board. Despite financial challenges, his father encouraged him to pursue his passion for cricket.
Initially starting as a batter, Hinge transitioned to pace bowling, which ultimately defined his career. He has been training at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai since 2022 and participated in a 15-day camp in Brisbane.
Under the guidance of Varun Aaron, SRH's fast bowling coach, Hinge has represented Vidarbha in domestic cricket, making his first-class debut in the Ranji Trophy against Puducherry in October 2024. He also made his List A debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Mizoram in January last year.
Last season, Hinge was instrumental in Vidarbha's first Vijay Hazare Trophy victory, taking five wickets at an average of 56 and an economy rate of 6.0 across five matches. He was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for his base price of INR 30 lakh during the IPL 2026 mini-auction.