Who is Lhuan-dre Pretorius? South African cricket team's latest find

Lhuan-dre Pretorius is one of South Africa’s most exciting young cricketing talents, quickly making a name for himself across formats. Just 19 years old, Pretorius recently announced himself on the international stage with a stunning Test debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. 

 

At just 19 years and 93 days old, Lhuan-dre Pretorius became the 10th youngest player ever to score a Test century and the fifth youngest to do so on debut. In the process, he shattered a 61-year-old South African record, surpassing the legendary Graeme Pollock, who previously held the title of the youngest South African to score a Test hundred back in 1964.  Check India squad announcement for Asia Cup 2025 live updates here   

Lhuan dre Pretorius Test stats
Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	0s	4s	6s
2	3	0	235	153	78.33	253	92.88	1	1	0	18	7

 

 

Pretorius had already turned heads with a standout performance in the 2025 SA20 season, where he topped the run charts and earned his place in the Proteas setup. He was also signed by the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL as a replacement player, a nod to his growing reputation in the T20 circuit. 

Lhuan dre Pretorius T20 stats
Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Avg	BF	SR	100s	50s	0s	4s	6s
7	7	0	107	51	15.28	85	125.88	0	1	1	14	3

  Pretorius looking to impress against Australia

 

Currently part of South Africa’s squad for the ongoing T20I series against Australia, Pretorius continues to show versatility and adaptability across formats. With a fearless approach, clean ball-striking, and a temperament suited to international cricket, he’s seen as a major prospect for South Africa as they build toward future campaigns in all formats.

 

From Test breakthroughs to T20 opportunities, Lhuan-dre Pretorius is a name cricket fans will be hearing a lot more of in the coming years.  The young South African cricketer Lhuan-dre Pretorius had also been picked up by the Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Nitish Rana for the IPL 2025 season but didn't get to feature in the side. 

  Early days 

Lhuan-dre Pretorius spent most of his high school years at St Stithians, a school renowned for producing top-level athletes, before transferring to Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria for his final year. By that time, he had already represented South Africa at the Under-19 level. He went on to finish as South Africa’s top run-scorer at the 2023 ICC U-19 World Cup and made his domestic debut for the Titans shortly after.

 

In the 2023–24 CSA T20 Knockout Challenge, Pretorius impressed again, finishing as the sixth-highest run-getter. His T20 franchise debut came the following summer with the Paarl Royals in January 2025, where he made an immediate impact by scoring a career-best 97 in his very first game.