South Africa newbie wicketkeeper-batter Rubin Hermann gave a sheer testament of his batting prowess with a stellar ton against the New Zealand A earlier today (August 30). The 28-year-old blasted a fiery 158 off just 93 balls, hitting at a rate of 169.89, which included a staggering 18 boundaries and seven maximums. Chasing 230, Hermann’s heroics helped the Proteas seal the contest in just 29.2 overs and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match SA A vs NZ A unofficial ODI series.
Hermann recent’s knock comes in a series of impressive displays after earning his debut for the Proteas during the Zimbabwe tri-series earlier in July this year. Hermann made an impact in his first game, blasting a quickfire 45(37) in a winning cause. In the same series, he also scored his maiden international fifty and finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer with 130 runs in five games with a highest score of 63.
Given his tremendous hitting abilities and current form, Hermann can be on the radar of IPL teams and can become an X-factor pick at IPL 2026 auction later this year.
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Apart from Rubin’s performances for South Africa and South Africa A, he also plied his trade in the SA 2025 at the start of this year for the Paarl Royals. He looked in sublime form, whacking 333 runs in nine innings at an average of 41.62. He also had three fifties to his name which included a top score of 81*. His franchise cricket experience will also play a big role in backing his case at the IPL 2026 auction.
Furthermore, a top-order wicketkeeper-batter is going to be in demand with multiple teams on the lookout. Teams like Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR) are all in dire need of someone in the specific role and Hermann might just land himself an IPL contract if he can continue impressing in the meanwhile.
Hermann’s record in the domestic circuit is also stunning. In 51 T20s, he has scored 1248 runs at an average of 32.84 and can also be targetted solely as an opener by IPL teams, given his batting exploits.
