Sunrisers Hyderabad debutant Praful Hinge has started in sublime fashion against Rajasthan Royals with a three-wicket first over on his debut against Rajasthan Royals on Monday (April 13).
Praful struck thrice in the first over, getitng the wickets of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the day, thus becoming the first bowler in IPL history to pick three wickets in the first over of the match.
Who is Praful Hinge?
Praful Hinge is an young bowler from Vidarbha, who has made his IPL debut for SRH on Monday.
Praful Hinge sharpened his bowling from age 13, pedaling to sessions and occasionally showing up late for school. His big break hit at 16 with a spot in the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) academy under coach Sanjeev. At 19, he dominated
U-19 trials, claiming 36 wickets. The COVID-19 pandemic stalled his momentum, but it ignited a fiercer drive.
"At the age of 19, I realized that I can be a professional. Played U19 and picked 36 wickets. COVID hampered preparation and then he realized 'If I try harder, I can play at higher level'. I am always ready to work hard and then I played U23. At MRF pace foundation, I realized how I need to improve and got a reality check, which helped in my development. "
Check Out his Exclusive Interview with MyKhel
Praful Hinge Exclusive: Sister's Sacrifices Powered IPL Dream as SRH pacer ready for Challenge
Sister's Sacrifice Fuels the Fire
Family anchored Hinge's rise. His sister, a Chartered Accountant, put her exam prep on hold to ferry him to practice, linger through sessions, and burn the midnight oil studying. Her discipline rubbed off, pushing him to excel.
"She used to study at nights and her academics is really strong. I wanted to do well at something and wanted to learn. "
Hinge vows to honor her support, with parents, cousins, and brothers set to rally behind him in Hyderabad. In Vidarbha's cutthroat setup, he thrives thanks to captain Akshay Wadkar's motivation and the team's tight-knit vibe.
Varun Aaron's Call Changes Everything
With 10 first-class matches and 27 wickets, Hinge built quiet promise. Last November, post a Ranji clash against Tamil Nadu, Varun Aaron summoned him for an SRH trial.
"The Ranji match against Tamil Nadu was Live on Television. After finishing, he called me to come to SRH trial. I executed the plans properly at the trial and maybe they liked me there. "
His 5-wicket haul there was a season highlight, despite sparse Syed Mushtaq Ali and Vijay Hazare outings (5 wickets in 5 games). The trial impressed.
"At the trial, Varun bhaiya was asking me to execute certain things, and I did them well. My trial was pretty good and I was happy the way it went. "
The auction sealed his dream, lighting up his parents' faces.
"I was hopeful about selection. Fortunately, SRH picked me and that has been the best moment of my life so far. There is nothing better than making your parents happy and that was special. "
Unfazed by Setbacks, Inspired by Umesh
Undeterred by skipping the 2025 IPL auction (noted as 2024 mega event), Hinge leaned into discipline, timeliness, respect for gear, and grit from his youth days.
"I was not disappointed when my name was not picked in the IPL auction in 2024 (IPL mega auction). I knew that hard work will give me results. I never regret anything and I work double for it. I am punctual and that is an important part of discipline for me. I like to respect all things, like cricketing gears and maintain little things. "
Umesh Yadav, a Ranji teammate and mentor, lights his path-from rags to international riches.
"Umesh Yadav's journey inspires me. When I shared dressing room with him, I learned a lot of things. He used to share a lot of stories of his journey, and whenever he used to tell his stories, lagta thaa ki inke jaisa hi banna hain (always wanted to be like him). The way he speaks is amazing. He reached great heights despite having nothing, and that's inspiring. "
Ready for SRH's Pace Packed Lineup
Hinge welcomed SRH's fierce fast-bowling competition.
"I like playing under challenge and competitions, and SRH have a lot of fast bowlers, so I am relishing it already. "
He anticipates gems from Jaydev Unadkat, Harshal Patel, and coach Varun Aaron. Off-field, he stays dynamic with travel, buddies, and badminton: "I can't stand still, always like to keep myself busy. "
And on his debut, Praful has truly shown his worth.
