RR Batter Ruled Out Of IPL 2025; Lhuan-dre Pretorius Named Replacement

Nitish Rana was a part of RR [Source: AP]

In a significant development, Rajasthan Royals (RR) batter Nitish Rana has been ruled out of the remainder of IPL 2025 due to calf injury. The inaugural champions have roped in South African batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius as his replacement. 

Nitish Rana Ruled Out Of IPL 2025 With Injury

The development was confirmed by IPL's official social media handle on X (formerly Twitter). Despite being inconsistent, Nitish Rana struck a couple of breathtaking fifties for the Royals in IPL 2025, amassing 217 runs at an average of 21.70 and a strike rate of 161.94. Lhuan-dre Pretorius joins the side as Rana's replacement for a base price of INR 30 lakhs. 

Notably, Rana was purchased by Rajasthan Royals for a whopping price of INR 4.2 Crores in last year's mega auction. He had a terrific start to the season, playing a blistering knock of 81 runs off just 36 balls against CSK at Barsapara Stadium. 

However, his graph only went downhill after that, as he recorded a string of low scores, including four single digits, in his subsequent eight outings. 

Who Is Lhuan-dre Pretorius?

Lhuan-dre Pretorius is a promising South African batting talent, who rose to fame during the SA20 2025 season. Playing for Paarl Royals, Pretorius struck a number of impactful cameos at the top order. 

He was the top-scorer in the tournament, amassing 397 runs at an average of 33.08 and a strike rate of 166.81. His aggressive stroke-play became one of the major talking points during the competition, establishing his name among the top young players to watch out for in the coming years. 

Overall, the southpaw has played 33 T20 matches, scoring 911 runs at an average of 27.60 and a magnificent strike rate of 147.17. 

---

ALSO READ

Who Is Lhuan-Dre Pretorius? South Africa's Next Superstar

---