Top 10 Youngest Players in IPL 2026

The Indian Premier League has always been a league that is the biggest platform for young cricketing talent. In fact, the ethos of the league has always been Yatra Avasara Prapnotihi (Sanskrit for Where Talent Meets Opportunity), meaning that the league has always strived to find the talent within the youngsters and give them a platform to showcase their skills at the highest level of franchise cricket. 

The list of the youngest players this year presents a mix of experienced and fresh talent. Some of these teenagers have already tasted the pressure and thrill of the IPL. On the other hand, a few of them will be featuring for the first time, carrying the weight of expectations that come with notable performances at the junior and domestic levels, and eventually attracted takers at the IPL 2026 Mini-Auction.

Let's see 10 youngest cricketers who will play in IPL 2026:

10. Lhuan-dre Pretorius — 19 Years & 270 Days

Another South African prodigy to feature among the youngest players in IPL 2026 will be Lhuan-dre Gilbert Pretorius, aged just 19 years and 270 days. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter finished as South Africa’s leading run-scorer at the 2023 Under-19 World Cup, a performance that fast-tracked his senior career.

His transition to top-level cricket saw him become the youngest South African to score a Test century on debut, smashing 153, and he has since represented the Proteas across formats. In franchise cricket, he impressed in the SA20 with Paarl Royals, scoring a 97 on debut, before earning retention with Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026.