Praful Hinge

Praful Hinge is a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Vidarbha who has steadily progressed through India’s domestic circuit with his pace, bounce and discipline. A hit-the-deck seamer capable of extracting movement, he came into wider focus after Sunrisers Hyderabad signed him. 

Still at the start of his professional journey, Hinge is viewed as a developing Indian quick who relies more on persistence and skill development than raw hype.

Praful Hinge’s Early Life and Background

Praful Prakash Hinge was born on January 18, 2002, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Cricket in the city is deeply competitive, and his journey began on local grounds where he initially preferred batting. However, his father insisted he try fast bowling — a decision that ultimately shaped his career.

In his early days, he struggled with control and even had an illegal bowling action, but consistent training helped him correct it and build a repeatable rhythm. He moved through the Vidarbha Cricket Association age-group pathway, representing the Under-19 side and gradually gaining attention for his seam position and ability to hit the surface hard.

Watching Vidarbha win the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18 became a motivational point, and from then on, Hinge aimed to be part of the senior red-ball squad.

Praful Hinge’s Domestic Career

Hinge debuted in First-Class cricket in October 2024 against Puducherry. Training played a big role in his red-ball development. He spent time at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai and later attended a short camp in Brisbane before his debut season. 

Praful Hinge made his List A debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in January 2025 against Mizoram. During Vidarbha’s strong 2025-26 campaign, he played a supporting role with disciplined spells and control in the middle overs.

In one notable game against Baroda, he bowled an impressive spell and troubled Hardik Pandya in phases, who scored a ton later. He was also part of Vidarbha’s squad in the Vijay Hazare Trophy that season.

His T20 debut came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December 2025. Though early in his T20 journey, his bowling style suits modern short-format cricket where control and adaptability matter as much as pace.

Away from matches, he constantly studies bowling strategies, often analysing games to understand how bowlers approach difficult batters and to plan variations, such as the wobble seam delivery, to expand his skillset.

Praful Hinge’s IPL Career

Praful Hinge’s breakthrough arrived at the IPL 2026 auction when Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him at his base price of INE 30 lakh. 

Interestingly, he wasn’t at home during the auction — he was at a temple, confident his opportunity would eventually come after he went unsold the previous year. 

(As of March 2026)