
Praful Hinge has finally made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut against Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium on Monday after being snubbed at the last moment in their previous game despite being named at the coin toss by captain Ishan Kishan. On April 11 in Mullanpur, Hinge was named in the playing XI replacing Jaydev Unadkat.
"Salil comes in in place of Livingstone and Praful Hinge, it's his debut game, in place of Jaydev Unadkat," Kishan had said at the toss. However, the Vidarbha pacer never took the field as Sunrisers Hyderabad opted for Unadkat who shared the new ball after coming in as an Impact sub for Travis Head.
On Monday, Hinge was once again named in the playing XI, replacing Unadkat from the previous game. “We have got two changes from the last game, (Praful) Hinge coming in (and veteran Jaydev Unadkat misses out, Harshal Patel is among the impact players),” said Kishan after losing the toss to Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag.
Hinge grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he became the first player ever in the history of IPL to take three wickets in the first over of an innings. There have been 32 instances of a bowler bagging two wickets in the first over of an IPL innings. Hinge dismissed Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, and Dhruv Jurel.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(w/c), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande
Meanwhile, Parag won the toss and opted to bowl first in Hyderabad. Rajasthan Royals are sitting atop the IPL 2026 Points Table with 8 points from four games. Speaking during the toss, Parag said they have made two changes with South African batter Lhuan Dre Pretorious making his debut.
“We will be bowling first. A new wicket for us, first time it has been used this season as well. So hopefully there is a little bit of stickiness at the start. We have got two changes. Brijesh (Sharma) steps out, and Tushar Deshpande comes in. Hetty (Shimron Heymyer) gets a rest, and Pretorius makes his debut,” said the Assamese cricketer.
The Ishan Kishan-led Sunrisers Hyderabad, who lost their previous clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) will be eyeing their second win of the season, having lost three of their four matches so far. Sunrisers Hyderabad's only win in IPL 2026 came against Kolkata Knight Riders.
On the other hand, an in-form Rajasthan Royals would be aiming to make it five wins in a row. Having taken over from Sanju Samson, Parag has been leading from the front in IPL 2026. Rajasthan Royals have so far defeated Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans.
Catch the live updates from IPL 2026 with the complete IPL 2026 Schedule and the IPL 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts in IPL 2026 Orange Cap and IPL 2026 Purple Cap.
Koushik lives and breathes sports. After transitioning from his own aspirations of becoming a professional athlete, he successfully channeled that lifelong passion into a prolific career, documenting the action both from the sidelines and the editorial desk. With over eight years of industry experience, Koushik joined LiveMint as a Deputy Chief Content Producer in 2024, following impactful stints at Outlook India, India.com, Sportskeeda, Women’s CricZone, and OrissaPOST. A 2017 Journalism and Mass Communication graduate from Maharaja Manindra Chandra College, Kolkata, Koushik has reported on high-profile events including the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Ranji Trophy, FIH Pro League, FIH World League finals, the Indian Premier League, and Lionel Messi’s historic visit to Kolkata in 2025. <br><br> While he possesses a versatile command over all sports, he finds his niche in cricket, specializing in breaking news, long-form interviews, global sporting updates, and high-energy live blogs. Koushik’s professional perspective was further sharpened through the 2020 AIPS Young Reporters Programme, where he gained invaluable insights from renowned international journalists, including Keir Radnedge and Riccardo Romani from the United Kingdom, and Martin Mazur from Argentina. Currently based between Kolkata and Delhi, Koushik remains at the forefront of the breaking developments that shape the public sporting discourse. When he isn't tracking scores or deconstructing plays, he can be found exploring new landscapes on his travels or channeling his creative energy into the kitchen. <br><br> If you have a compelling story to share or know an individual who deserves the spotlight, please reach out via email at <a href="koushik.paul@htdigital.in">koushik.paul@htdigital.in</a>.
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