South African cricket’s teenage prodigy Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who recently made headlines with a sensational Test debut, experienced the highs and lows of international cricket within weeks. After becoming the youngest player ever to score 150+ in a Test innings, Pretorius faced a harsh reality in his T20I debut against Zimbabwe in Harare.
Dream Start to Test Career
Just a few weeks ago, the 19-year-old made a memorable entry into Test cricket. Representing South Africa, Pretorius slammed 153 runs in his debut innings, setting a world record for the highest score by a teenager on Test debut. He backed it up with a solid 78 in his second Test, instantly becoming a player to watch for the future.
His performances also earned praise during his stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, showcasing his ability to adapt across formats.
Golden Duck on T20I Debut
However, the young star was given a reality check on his T20 International debut. In the opening match of the series against Zimbabwe, Pretorius was dismissed for a golden duck—falling to left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava on the very first delivery he faced.
In doing so, he joined an unfortunate list of South African cricketers to suffer the same fate. He became just the third South African after Monde Zondeki (2006) and Ottneil Baartman (2024) to get out for a golden duck on their T20I debut.
A Rare Club of T20I Openers with Golden Ducks on Debut
Pretorius’ dismissal also placed him among a unique and rare group. He is now the 27th opener in T20I history to register a golden duck on debut. This list includes some surprising and well-known names such as:
- KL Rahul (also vs Zimbabwe in Harare)
- Rachin Ravindra
- Finn Allen
- Prithvi Shaw (vs Sri Lanka, 2021)
Interestingly, Prithvi Shaw’s T20I career never took off after his golden duck, as he hasn’t played in the format since that game in Colombo.
The Road Ahead for Pretorius
While this debut might sting, Lhuan-dre Pretorius has already shown remarkable potential. Setbacks like these are part of the learning curve, especially in the unpredictable world of T20 cricket. With his talent and temperament, fans and selectors alike will hope this is just a minor hiccup in what promises to be a long and successful international career.
