Proteas youngster Lhuan-dre Pretorius boosted his chances of making it to the RR retained players 2026 list after scoring a fifty on his ODI debut against Pakistan.
In the 3rd ODI of the series against Pakistan, South Africa’s Lhuan-dre Pretorius made a strong impression on his debut. He scored 57 runs off 60 balls, hitting seven fours and one six at a strike rate of 95. His innings gave South Africa a good start, with the team reaching 98 runs by the end of the 16th over when he got out. Pretorius shared an impressive opening partnership with Quinton de Kock before being dismissed by Saim Ayub.
Quinton de Kock, who returned to ODI cricket for the first time since retiring in 2023, scored 63 runs.
Lhuan-dre Pretorius has made a bright start to his international career. The 19-year-old has already played two Tests, scoring 235 runs in three innings at an average of 78.33, including one century and one half-century and an excellent record with a strike rate of 92.88 in red-ball cricket, which is quite rare. In T20Is, he is yet to make a big mark, with 157 runs in 12 matches so far. With a fifty on his ODI debut, it’s been a good start for the youngster, and this performance could help him make it to the RR retained players 2026 list for the next IPL season.
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Rajasthan Royals picked Lhuan dre Pretorius for INR 30 lakh in IPL 2025 as a replacement player, and at that time, many felt it was too early for him to feature in the league. However, after a strong SA20 season, an impressive start to his international career, a Test century and now a half century on ODI debut, Pretorius has gone from being a gamble to someone RR would definitely want to keep. With IPL 2026 retention deadline on the corner, he is likely to be one of the players to be in the RR retained players 2026 list.
Keeping him would be a smart move for the franchise, as having a player of his talent for just INR 30 lakh offers great value. He can bat anywhere in the top six which give flexibility to the team, and he also fits well into RR’s plan of building a young and strong core for the future. At this price, retaining Pretorius could turn out to be one of RR’s best decisions ahead of IPL 2026. He is no longer just a young talent but has now established himself as a reliable performer.
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