Praful Hinge announced his presence at Indian Premier League 2026 with a breath-taking debut performance for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but his journey to reach that stage was far from a fairytale. The 24-year-old paceman claimed four wickets against Rajasthan Royals to end with figures of 4/34, while also securing the Player of the Match award. He made history by becoming the first bowler ever to take three wickets in an opening over of a match at an IPL event, dismissing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius amongst his victims. Injury Setback and MRF Pace Foundation Role But, although the start to his IPL career could not have been any better, Hinge has not had an easy run getting there. A lower back injury once brought his career close to a premature end, making him seek solace at the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. M Senthilnathan, his coach at the foundation, said: “In 2023, we selected him. He had a back injury at that time. First, we focused on rehab and fitness. Then we analysed the reason behind the injury and found a technical issue. We fine-tuned his technique, which helped prevent the injury from coming back.” He also explained that after the recovery the attention was shifted to Hinge building up his strength and maintaining his consistency. “In 2024, he came back stronger. We worked on his fitness, bowling areas and technique. He was told clearly what he needs to do to avoid further injury.” The foundation further noticed the pacer's main strength - the capability to maintain a tight line and length that bothers the batsmen with extra movement. Also Read | Praful Hinge Creates History, Joins Akhtar, Cummins & Shami in Rare IPL Club Glenn McGrath's Crucial Piece of Advice A significant highlight in Hinge’s journey so far is his training under the mentorship of Australian veteran Glenn McGrath, the director of coaching at the foundation. The Australian was responsible for guiding Hinge on how to handle pressure while bowling. “McGrath has played all three formats. He teaches bowlers the importance of hitting the right areas and building pressure. He told him that you cannot take a wicket with every ball.” This association was not restricted to just the Indian side; Hinge was also dispatched to Australia as part of the foundation and Cricket Australia exchange program and spent a few months training in a high-performance center there. Senthilnathan mentioned: “He trained in Brisbane as well. That exposure helped him grow. By 2025, he was fully fit and much stronger." Finally, all the efforts by Hinge have paid off. Having played a single T20 match prior to his first appearance in the IPL, he has now put up a match-winning and record-breaking debut, proving his mettle for the bigger stage. With his accumulated experience, mentorship under McGrath, and increased fitness, Praful Hinge looks set to be an integral part of Sunrisers Hyderabad's squad for the ongoing season.