Argus News - Who is Praful Hinge? The Rookie Who Shattered IPL Record in Just Six Balls

Bhubaneswar, Apr 13: The date — April 13, 2026 — will forever be remembered as the day a young cricketer from Nagpur carved his name into IPL history. On his very first over in the T20 extravaganza, Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Praful Hinge produced a spell that stunned fans and experts alike.

At the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, the 24-year-old right-arm fast-medium bowler dismantled Rajasthan Royals’ top order in just six deliveries, becoming the first player in the 19-year history of the league to take three wickets in the very first over of an innings.Coincidentally this was his debut match. Hinge dismantled Rajasthan Royals’ top order, removing opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi on his second delivery.

He followed it up by dismissing Dhruv Jurel on the fourth ball and South African debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius on the sixth. His figures read an extraordinary 1-0-3-3 after that unforgettable over, instantly making him the talk of the tournament.

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Who is Praful Hinge?

Born in Nagpur, the 24-year-old Hinge is a tall right-arm seamer who made his senior Vidarbha debut across formats in the 2024-25 season. In first-class cricket, he has already played 10 matches, taking 27 wickets at an average of 26.66. He has also featured in six List A games, claiming five wickets, and had just one T20 appearance before his IPL breakthrough.

Hinge’s domestic journey has been steady and determined. He was part of Vidarbha’s victorious Ranji Trophy campaign in 2024-25, taking 11 wickets in four matches.

In the following season, he became a regular, picking up 16 wickets in six matches with a best of 4/60. He also contributed to Vidarbha’s Vijay Hazare Trophy triumph in 2025-26, taking five wickets in five matches.

His exposure to T20 cricket was limited, but he impressed in the inaugural Vidarbha Pro T20 League, where he picked up eight wickets in six games at an economy rate of 8.96. That performance caught the attention of IPL scouts, leading the Hyderabad franchise to sign him for ₹30 lakh at the auction.

Hinge has also invested in his development, training at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai since 2022 and attending a 15-day camp in Brisbane in 2024. Known for his ability to bowl disciplined spells and generate bounce even on flat pitches, he has quickly become a prized asset in SRH’s pace attack.

Adding to the intrigue of his IPL journey, Hinge idolizes Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, who now captains SRH. “I’ve watched him from the start — the way he bowls, the way he captains,” Hinge told Sportstar. “I’m really blessed to be in his team. He’s someone who has silenced Indians in India.”

With his record-breaking debut and the chance to learn under Cummins, Praful Hinge’s career trajectory promises to be one of the most exciting stories in the next generation of Indian cricket.