The story of Praful Hinge is one of sheer manifestation and unyielding grit. The Vidarbha pacer, who recently took the IPL 2026 by storm, has become a household name after a historic debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). However, behind the “overnight sensation” label lies years of persistence that once made even his father, Prakash, skeptical.
A Historic IPL Debut
After going unsold in the 2024 mega auction, Hinge promised his father he would break through in 2025. That promise was fulfilled when SRH picked him, leading to a debut that rewrote the record books.
- The Feat: He became the first bowler in the IPL’s 19-year history to claim three wickets in his opening over.
- The Victims: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, and Lhuan-dre Pretorius—all dismissed for ducks.
- The Final Figures: He finished with 4/34, including the prized wicket of RR skipper Riyan Parag.
The “Home” Away from Home
Prakash Hinge, a retired Maharashtra Electricity department employee, recalls a time when he hoped his son would give up the “costly” game and focus on studies. Taking him to the Reshimbagh Gymkhana in Nagpur, Prakash waited for exhaustion to set in.
“I thought he would head back home when he gets exhausted. But it never happened. He ended up making the cricket field his second home,” Prakash told News18 CricketNext.
Rising from Setbacks
Hinge’s path was far from easy. In 2015, he failed his first attempt at the Vidarbha Cricket Association’s Under-14 trials. While his father braced for him to quit, Praful’s resolve only tightened. Under the guidance of coach Shishir Sudam, he transformed that early failure into a disciplined pursuit of excellence.
Today, the bowler who once sat in a Nagpur temple praying for a chance has proven that his destiny was never in the classroom, but on the 22 yards he refused to leave.