SRH’s ‘Back Up Pace Option’ Praful Hinge Destroys RR Top Order on Dream IPL Debut

IPL is used to producing overnight sensations, and Monday night belonged to Praful Hinge.

Making his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad, the young seamer ripped through the Rajasthan Royals top order in a spell that instantly grabbed attention.

Hinge struck with his very first ball, dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, then removed Dhruv Jurel on the third delivery, and capped off a dream opening over by sending Lhuan-dre Pretorius back on the final ball.

His arrival may have surprised casual fans, but those tracking domestic cricket know his steady rise.

Who is Praful Hinge?

According to the official IPL website, Praful is a young right-arm seamer from Vidarbha who has “steadily built his reputation in red-ball cricket”. In just 10 first-class matches, the 24-year-old has claimed 27 wickets at an average of 26.7. The IPL website further adds that “his exposure to T20 cricket has been limited so far.” SRH bought him for INR 30 lakh as a "backup pace option”.

How did Abhishek Sharma end up with an unwanted record?

While Hinge made headlines for all the right reasons, Abhishek Sharma endured another frustrating outing. The SRH opener fell for a golden duck, mistiming a short ball from Jofra Archer and getting caught by Ravi Bishnoi.

This dismissal marked his seventh duck of 2026, pushing him past Rohit Sharma’s previous record of six ducks in a calendar year. His inconsistency has defined a turbulent season, even though flashes of brilliance—like his 74 earlier in the tournament—underline his explosive potential.

Despite his struggles, Abhishek’s overall T20 numbers this year reflect a high-risk, high-reward approach, with a strike rate above 200 but frequent collapses at the top.

How did Ishan Kishan power SRH to 216/6?

After the early blow, SRH found stability and then dominance through a stunning counterattack led by captain Ishan Kishan. Alongside Travis Head, he rebuilt the innings before unleashing an aggressive assault on the RR bowlers.

Kishan’s innings was the defining performance of the night—a blistering 91 off 44 balls, packed with boundaries and towering sixes. He found strong support from Heinrich Klaasen, who added a quick 40, and later from Nitish Kumar Reddy, whose late cameo accelerated the scoring.

Even as Jofra Archer and Sandeep Sharma picked up wickets, SRH’s relentless hitting ensured they crossed the 200-run mark, finishing at an imposing 216/6.

Kishan’s knock not only anchored the innings but also shifted momentum decisively, setting up a challenging chase and ensuring that Hinge’s dream debut would be backed by a formidable total.

(With inputs from ANI)