Sunrisers Hyderabad have handed an IPL debut to Vidarbha pacer Praful Hinge for their match against Punjab Kings in New Chandigarh – here’s all you need to know about the SRH bowler.
Praful Hinge set to come on as Impact Sub on IPL debut for SRH
SRH signed the 24-year-old pacer for INR 30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction as a backup option for their fast-bowling battery, and he received his first chance against PBKS. Captain Ishan Kishan said at the toss that SRH's one change for this game was Hinge coming in for Jaydev Unadkat; he started on the Impact Player list as Hyderabad were put in to bat first.
As it happened, despite Kishan's words, Hinge did not come on in the second innings. Unadkat replaced Travis Head when SRH fielded.
Hinge, interestingly, has only one T20 appearance under his belt, which came for Vidarbha against Andhra in the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He returned figures of 1-23 from his four overs, dismissing Andhra captain Ricky Bhui, in a 19-run win.
Also read: Why PBKS players are wearing black armbands for IPL 2026 game against SRH
Match 17, Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
vs
- Ball by ball Over
Praful Hinge has won Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy with Vidarbha
Hinge made his List-A debut in January 2025 and was part of the Vidarbha side that won the 2025/26 Vijay Hazare Trophy, taking five wickets in five matches at 56.60 each. Hinge also played a part in Vidarbha’s 2024/25 Ranji Trophy title run, which was his debut first-class season, taking 11 wickets in four matches at 27.09.
The right-arm pacer was a more regular feature in the following Ranji campaign, playing six matches for 16 wickets at 26.37 each and a best of 4-60. He also played in the inaugural season of the Vidarbha Pro T20 League, taking eight wickets in six games with an economy of 8.96 and catching the eye of IPL scouts.
Hinge also considers Pat Cummins as his idol, who will now captain him at SRH once he returns to full fitness. “I’ve watched him from the start–the way he bowls, the way he captains," he told Sportstar. "I’m really blessed to be in his team. He’s someone who has silenced Indians in India.”
Image courtesy: Praful Hinge/Instagram
Follow Wisden for all cricket updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights, video analysis and live match odds.
