Praful Hinge said yorkers remain his go-to delivery and credited encouragement from Hardik Pandya as a major confidence booster after producing a sensational debut performance for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
The 24-year-old right-arm pacer dismantled the batting line-up of Rajasthan Royals on Monday, returning impressive figures of 4/34. His fiery opening spell played a decisive role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s commanding 57-run victory.
Hinge also etched his name into IPL history by becoming the first bowler to take three wickets in the opening over of an innings — a remarkable feat in his maiden IPL appearance.
‘Yorkers Are My Go-To Deliveries,’ Says Hinge
Reflecting on his bowling approach, Hinge revealed that yorkers have always been his most reliable weapon, honed through consistent practice.
Recalling an earlier encounter with Hardik Pandya during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Hinge admitted he initially felt nervous facing the star all-rounder.
“When I was bowling to him, I was quite nervous because everyone knows what kind of batsman Hardik bhai is and what he can do,” Hinge said during an interaction with JioHotstar.
However, after delivering his first ball, he quickly regained composure.
“After the first ball, the nerves settled, and I told myself to bowl without pressure. Yorkers are my go-to deliveries; I’ve practised them the most. I bowled good yorkers to him and mixed in a few bouncers.”
Hinge added that Pandya’s appreciation boosted his confidence significantly.
“After taking a single, he came up to me and said, ‘Praful bhai, well bowled.’ That gave me a huge boost. Later he told me, ‘You’re doing well, just keep at it. I will see you in the IPL.’ That meant a lot,” he said.
Injury Setback And Recovery At MRF Pace Academy
Hinge also credited the support he received at the MRF Pace Foundation, particularly physio Naveen Babu, for helping him recover from a serious injury.
He revealed that he had been called to the academy for two years before finally attending — only to discover he had a stress fracture in his back.
“Naveen Babu examined me and said I had a stress fracture. He paid a lot of attention to my recovery, and those seven to eight months were tough,” Hinge said.
The injury forced him to skip an entire season, but he made a strong comeback, picking up around 27–28 wickets in the Under-23 season and earning a spot in the Emerging India camp.
Learning From Global Pace Stars In Australia
Hinge described his training stint in Australia as a major learning experience, where he interacted with international fast bowlers like Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson.
Being a long-time admirer of Hazlewood, meeting the Australian pacer was particularly special.
“I asked them about fitness, managing workload during the season, training routines, diet, and more. It was a huge learning curve,” Hinge said.
Goals For IPL: Winning Matches And Making Impact In Fielding
Despite his impressive debut, Hinge said he did not adopt any special preparation for the IPL season. Instead, he mentally rehearses match scenarios while watching games.
“Whenever I watch a match, I ask myself what I would do in that situation. That keeps me thinking like I’m already part of the game,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Hinge outlined his key goals for the tournament — helping his team win the title and making an impact both with the ball and in the field.
“My first goal is definitely to win and lift the trophy. If I get opportunities, I want to win as many matches as possible for my team. I would also love to take one of the best catches in the IPL and aim for the best fielder award,” he added.