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Opening the bowling for SRH against a strong Rajasthan Royals top order, Praful Hinge delivered an unforgettable spell. He dismissed Vaibav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, leaving RR reeling at 1/3 in after 1 over.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Praful Hinge celebrates the wicket of Rajasthan Royals' Dhruv Jurel with teammates.(REUTERS)Praful Hinge, a young Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) pacer, scripted a dream Indian Premier League (IPL) debut. In a sensational moment at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Monday. The 24-year-old right-arm fast bowler from Vidarbha became the first bowler in IPL history to claim three wickets in his very first over. He dismissed Vaibav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius, leaving RR reeling at 1/3 in after 1 over. This explosive start not only boosted SRH but also put the spotlight on an emerging talent from domestic cricket.
A historic first over in SRH vs RR, IPL 2026 match
Opening the bowling for SRH against a strong Rajasthan Royals top order, Hinge delivered an unforgettable spell. He started by dismissing teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for a golden duck with a hard-length delivery that rushed the batter. Sooryavanshi attempted a pull but only managed a top edge that went straight up. Salil Arora, the wicketkeeper, completed the catch, triggering wild celebrations in the SRH dugout. Kavya Maran was seen jumping out of her seat in excitement.
Next came Dhruv Jurel, who walked in but lasted just two balls. Hinge bowled a length delivery just outside off; Jurel played with an angled bat, and a thick inside edge uprooted the off-stump. The crowd erupted as RR slipped to 1/2.
On the sixth ball, Pretorius flicked a full delivery on the pads straight to Nitish Kumar Reddy at deep backward square-leg for a caught dismissal. Hinge finished with figures of 3/0 in the over, sending the Uppal crowd into frenzy. Ishan Kishan could not stop smiling as SRH players mobbed the debutant.
Who is Praful Hinge?
Born on January 18, 2002, in Nagpur, Praful Prakash Hinge is a tall right-arm medium-fast bowler known for his bounce and discipline even on flat tracks. He made his senior debut for Vidarbha across formats in the 2024-25 season and quickly became a key member of the side that lifted the Ranji Trophy (2024-25) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy (2025-26).
In 10 first-class matches, Hinge has picked up 27 wickets at an impressive average of 26.66. He has played six List A games, taking five wickets, and featured in just one T20 match, claiming one wicket. His performances in the inaugural Vidarbha Pro T20 League stood out, where he grabbed eight wickets in six games, impressing IPL scouts with his ability to bowl long, controlled spells.
(More to follow)
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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