‘I would give up any format’: Amid T20 boom, South African cricketer wants to reach ‘10,000 Test runs’

Lhuan-dre Pretorius scores record ton for Proteas vs Zimbabwe (Image via ET) South African teenage sensation Lhuan-dre Pretorius has made his priorities clear. Despite establishing himself in franchise leagues around the world, the 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman says he would happily give up any other format if it meant enjoying a long and successful Test career for South Africa.Currently representing the San Francisco Unicorns in Major League Cricket (MLC), Pretorius is in sensational form. He recently smashed an unbeaten 102 off just 52 balls against MI New York, registering his first T20 century. The left-hander is also part of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, making his debut in 2025 before being retained for the 2026 season. In South Africa’s SA20 league, he emerged as the leading run-scorer for Paarla Royals during their breakthrough 2024-25 campaign while also representing the Titans in domestic cricket.However, despite his rapid rise in white-ball cricket, Pretorius insists that Test cricket remains his main ambition.“Hopefully I’ll be lucky enough to play a lot of Test cricket and be able to reach 10,000 Test runs because that’s my dream. I would give up any format or any cricket to play Test cricket for South Africa as long as I can. There’s nothing better than playing Test cricket. It’s the pinnacle of cricket,” Pretoricus said.

A historic start to his Test career

Pretorius has only appeared in two Tests for South Africa, both against Zimbabwe in mid-2025, but has already established himself as one of the game’s brightest young talents. He scored 235 runs in three innings at an average of 78.33, including a century and a half-century, with a career-best score of 153.His debut innings was one for the record books. At 19 years and 93 days, Pretorius smashed 153 off 160 balls in Bulawayo to become South Africa’s youngest Test centurion, breaking the 61-year-old record previously held by Graeme Pollock.In the innings, he also became the youngest player in Test history to score 150 on debut, surpassing Pakistan great Javed Miandad. His 150 came from just 157 deliveries, making it the fastest 150 by a South African in Test cricket.Pretorius added another feather to his cap, joining the exclusive list of players who have scored a century on both their first-class and Test debuts.