Dreams don’t die when auctions pass you by once. Praful Hinge learned that lesson the hard way last season. The Vidarbha pacer went unsold breaking his heart completely then. He promised his father that better results would come next time. This year proved him absolutely right when his name got called.
Praful Hinge: Vidarbha’s Fast Bowling Hope
Praful Hinge wanted to become a batter initially as a youngster. His father insisted he bowl fast instead of batting. Early days saw him struggling with a chucking action badly. Training at MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai changed everything completely.
Since 2022, he’s trained there improving his skills constantly. A 15-day Brisbane camp in 2024 brought international exposure. Bowling alongside Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson taught him plenty. That experience helped him tremendously in his first-class debut against Pondicherry later.
Vidarbha’s 2017-18 Ranji Trophy win inspired him during his youth days. He dreams of representing them in the Ranji Trophy himself. Nine first-class matches brought him 26 wickets at an average of 24.84. Those numbers forced IPL scouts to notice him seriously.
His IPL Price Journey
IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Praful Hinge at the 2026 auction recently. They paid ₹30 lakh to secure him at the base price. This IPL price fulfilled his childhood dreams of watching cricket. Last season’s disappointment made this moment even sweeter clearly.
He watched the auction from a temple near Nagpur’s home. Streaming delays meant he was informed about the calls before seeing them himself. His father’s faith was rewarded beautifully after that promise was made.
His IPL Team Future
Praful Hinge joins Sunrisers Hyderabad for his debut season in 2026. His IPL team features Pat Cummins as captain and leader. Learning from Cummins excites him more than anything else. He admires Cummins’ bowling, captaincy, and success against India.
Vijay Hazare Trophy Breakthrough
Praful helped Vidarbha win their first Vijay Hazare Trophy ever. He grabbed 5 wickets across 5 games during that campaign. The maiden 50-over trophy meant everything to the team.
One league match against Baroda tested him severely though. Hardik Pandya smashed 133 runs off 92 balls that day. Hinge bowled economically conceding just 47 runs despite that onslaught. Pandya praised his bowling after the match which boosted confidence.
The final against Saurashtra in Bengaluru brought glory finally. Within three days, they travelled to Anantapur for the Ranji Trophy. Such tight schedules limited their celebrations unfortunately.
