India, April 14 -- Praful Hinge could not have asked for a better start to his IPL journey, delivering a stunning performance that played a decisive role in Sunrisers Hyderabad's important win over Rajasthan Royals on Monday night. At a time when batters have largely dictated terms this season, the young pacer turned the tide instantly, striking three times in his very first over in the league.

He removed the in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Lhuan-dre Pretorius for ducks, leaving Rajasthan reeling right at the start. That early burst effectively knocked the momentum out of the Royals and set the tone for the rest of the contest.

The impact of his dream debut was felt beyond the field as well. His social media following saw ...