The 24-year-old Vidarbha pacer, inspired by Pat Cummins and Umesh Yadav, stuns on debut with a dream spell

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Praful Hinge announced himself on the biggest T20 stage in spectacular fashion, delivering a historic performance on his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Tasked with opening the bowling against a formidable Rajasthan Royals top order featuring Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the young pacer produced a sensational triple-wicket over that immediately grabbed headlines.

In just his second T20 appearance in senior cricket, Hinge struck with his very first ball, dismissing the in-form Sooryavanshi. He didn’t stop there—adding the wickets of Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the same over to become the first bowler in IPL history to claim three wickets in the opening over of an innings. He later removed Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag, finishing with outstanding figures of 4 for 18 in three overs, including 13 dot balls.

Reflecting on his dream debut, Hinge revealed his mindset: he had visualised such a performance long before stepping onto the field. His aggressive approach in the powerplay paid off instantly, showcasing both confidence and preparation.

Hinge’s journey into cricket began at the age of 13, when he first stepped into a club setup without prior knowledge of leather-ball cricket. With strong family support, he gradually developed into a promising fast bowler. His performance is also a testament to the guidance of former India pacer Varun Aaron, who has worked closely with him as a bowling coach.

The Vidarbha pacer made his first-class debut in October 2024 and impressed in the Ranji Trophy with 16 wickets in 11 innings at an average of 26.37. He further showcased his potential in domestic T20s, including a notable performance in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and a key role in Neco Master Blasters’ title-winning campaign in the Vidarbha Pro T20 League.

Known for his sharp pace and ability to extract bounce from his lanky frame, Hinge has often spoken about idolising Pat Cummins, under whom he now plays at SRH. He has also drawn inspiration from fellow Vidarbha pacer Umesh Yadav, with whom he shared the new ball during his early T20 career.

With 27 wickets in 10 first-class matches and growing confidence across formats, Praful Hinge looks set to be one of the most exciting fast-bowling prospects to watch in the IPL and beyond.