In a sensational IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad against Rajasthan Royals, young Vidarbha pacer Praful Hinge has delivered a career-defining spell that left RR reeling.
Opening the bowling, the 24-year-old right-arm seamer claimed a triple-wicket maiden over, dismissing explosive opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (first ball), Dhruv Jurel, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in a devastating spell of swing and seam movement.
He later added the wicket of skipper Riyan Parag, finishing with a dream start on his maiden IPL appearance. Hinge's fiery spell rocked RR's top order, handing SRH early control at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. The Nagpur lad, known for his domestic consistency, announced himself as one to watch in the cash-rich league.
But who has
been the inspiration for Praful? Befor the IPL 2026, while speaking with MyKhel in an Exclusive Interview, Praful opened up on his idol, who is none other than Umesh Yadav.
Umesh Yadav inspired Praful Hinge
Umesh Yadav, a Ranji dressing-room mentor, inspires him deeply. The former India bowler has been an inspiration for many, and the Vidarbha youngster has been engrossed in the journey of his senior pro, who went to the top from absolute nothing.
Umesh, during his time in the Vidarbha setup, used to share his struggling days and a young Praful was deeply motivated by the journey.
"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," Praful said to MyKhel.
The youngster came into the tournament with a huge self-belief, and has repaid the faith of the SRH management with a sensational debut spell.
