Nitish Rana Out of Rajasthan Royals Playing Squad in IPL 2025 Due to Injury!

With only three victories in 12 games, the Rajasthan Royals have had a difficult IPL 2025 season. Their chances of making the playoffs have been formally eliminated, as they sit ninth in the standings.

By Emilia Blake 08 May 2025 in IPL Cricket

New Update

Nitish Rana RR — Photograph: (Source: UC Cricket)

Due to an injury, Nitish Rana, a batsman for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), will miss the rest of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. For the next two games of the season, the team has signed Lhuan-dre Pretorius, a South African batsman and wicketkeeper, to replace him. The Royals have had a lacklustre season and are already eliminated from the playoffs. Rana's departure has made matters worse as the squad attempts to salvage some honour in their final league stage matches against Chennai Super Kings on May 12 and Punjab Kings on May 16.

For INR 30 lakh, a 19-year-old South African who has yet to don the national cap joins the Royals. Following his performance in SA20 2025, when he became the tournament's highest scorer, left-handed wicket-keeper batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius was named as his replacement. He hit at an incredible 166.80 and amassed 397 runs in 12 games. When he played for the Paarl Royals against Sunrisers Eastern Cape, he scored an incredible 97 in 51 balls, which is regarded as one of the tournament's greatest knocks.

Nitish Rana's Campaign Cut Short:

🇿🇦 Fearless. Power-packed. Royal!

You’ve seen him in Pink — and you’ll see him soon in IPL 2025. 🔥

Lhuan dre Pretorius steps in for Nitish Rana, who’s healing from a calf injury. Speedy recovery, Nitish bhai! 💗 pic.twitter.com/B2JzFUlKZo
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 8, 2025

Pretorius made his English domestic cricket debut after winning a county cricket contract with Hampshire for the Vitality Blast following his success in the SA20. He had a significant influence at the 2024 ICC U-19 World Cup as well, finishing as the competition's top run scorer for South Africa.

The 31-year-old southpaw Rana scored 217 runs with a strike rate of 161.94 in 11 games this season for the Royals. He achieved the highest score of 81 and two half-centuries. After being pulled out of the squad against the Kolkata Knight Riders, stand-in skipper Riyan Parag had previously alluded to Rana's injury, which caused him to struggle with fitness in the second half of the season.

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