The name Praful Hinge was virtually unknown outside Vidarbha’s domestic cricket circles just a few months ago. Today, he is part of Sunrisers Hyderabad’s IPL 2026 squad, carrying the weight of a journey built on corrected flaws, overseas training camps, and a father who almost did not let him bowl at all.
A young right arm seamer from Vidarbha, SRH brought him in for Rs 30 lakh ahead of IPL 2026 as a backup pace option.
Who Is Praful Hinge?
- Full Name: Praful Hinge (Praful Prakash Hinge)
- Date of Birth: January 18, 2002
- Birthplace: Nagpur, Vidarbha
- Age: 24 years, 85 days
- Batting Style: Right-hand bat
- Bowling Style: Right-arm medium-fast
- Playing Role: Bowler
Teams:
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Vidarbha cricket team
- Vidarbha Under-19s
Praful Hinge Age and Early Life
Praful Prakash Hinge was born on January 18, 2002, in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
He is 24 years old and represents Vidarbha in Indian domestic cricket. Cricket in Nagpur 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 entire career. In his early days as a bowler, he reportedly struggled with an illegal bowling action, but rather than giving up, he put in the work to fix it completely.
Praful Hinge Cricketer Father and Family
The role of Praful’s father in his story is unique and layered. His father was initially reluctant about him pursuing the sport seriously, and it took a turning point at a summer camp trial to change that perception entirely.
Once convinced, the family threw their full support behind him. Originally identifying as a batter, Praful transitioned to fast bowling at his father’s suggestion and reportedly overcame the early hurdle of an illegal bowling action through intensive training to develop a repeatable rhythm.
That father’s instinct, to push his son toward pace bowling despite initial doubts, turned out to be the single best cricketing decision made in the Hinge household.
Praful Hinge IPL Team and Which Country He Plays For
Praful Hinge is an uncapped Indian cricketer who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2026. He represents Vidarbha in all three formats of domestic cricket in India. His professional preparation included refining his skills at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai and attending a high performance training camp at the Bupa National Cricket Centre in Brisbane, Australia.
That overseas exposure gave him a technical edge that most domestic seamers at his level simply do not have.
Praful Hinge Bowling Speed and Playing Style
Praful Hinge is a right-arm medium-fast bowler from Vidarbha, recognized for consistently clocking speeds of 140+ km/h. A “hit-the-deck” specialist, he is particularly effective in the death overs, where his ability to execute precise yorkers stands out.
He rose to prominence during the 2025–26 domestic season, playing a key role in Vidarbha’s triumph in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
After joining the Vidarbha Cricket Association academy at the age of 16 under coach Sanjeev, he picked up 36 wickets during the Under 19 trials, a performance that immediately marked him as a promising talent.
Praful Hinge Stats and IPL 2026 Auction Price
Why Praful Hinge Is a Name to Remember
A boy from Nagpur who started as a batter, was pushed into pace bowling by a father who barely trusted the sport, then fixed a reportedly illegal bowling action, trained in Australia, and quietly took wickets across every domestic format he appeared in. Praful Hinge’s path to an IPL cap for Sunrisers Hyderabad is one of the most understated but compelling stories of IPL 2026.
Cricket has a way of rewarding patience. Hinge has been very patient.
Lucky Raina is a complete cricket writer chasing corporate dreams by day and cricket stories by night. Once a promising Under 16 cricketer, life took him down a different pitch but the love for the game never left.
