Raynard van Tonder

International career

Raynard van Tonder was born on 26 September 1998 in South Africa. He is a right-handed batsman. Many cricket fans know him from the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where he was the captain of the South African team. He played well in that tournament and led the team with discipline and focus.

After the Under-19 World Cup, van Tonder stayed active in domestic cricket. His performances in local matches have been strong. Because of this, his name appears in discussions about future players for the national team.

At this stage, he has not played many matches for the main South African team. But selectors continue to watch his progress. Many expect that he may join the national squad in the coming seasons, especially in Test cricket.

Raynard van Tonder keeps training and playing at a high level. He has the talent and patience needed to succeed. Fans and experts believe that his time with the national team will arrive soon.

2017

• In December, Raynard van Tonder was named captain of the South Africa Under-19 squad for the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
• This marked his entry into the spotlight as a future talent.

2018

• Led the South African Under-19 team in the ICC U-19 World Cup.
• Finished as South Africa’s top scorer in the tournament with 348 runs in 6 innings.
• Averaged 69.60 across the event.
• Scored two centuries—one against Kenya in the opening match and another against New Zealand.
• The ICC named him the "rising star" of the South African squad.

2019 – 2023

• Continued to perform consistently in South African domestic cricket.
• Gained attention through strong showings in First-Class matches.
• Stayed in the conversation for future national team selection.

2024

• Earned a place in the national Test team for the tour of New Zealand.
• Several regular Test players skipped the tour due to their participation in the domestic T20 league.
• Fresh talent, including van Tonder, was called up for the Test series.
  
  

Test Debut:

• Match: New Zealand vs South Africa
• Venue: Mount Maunganui
• Dates: February 4–7, 2024
• Dismissed for 0 in the first innings by Kyle Jamieson.
• Scored 31 runs in the second innings.

Last Test (to date):

• Match: New Zealand vs South Africa
• Venue: Hamilton
• Dates: February 13–16, 2024
• Featured in the second and final match of the series.

Leagues Participation

Raynard van Tonder has not taken part in any major T20 franchise leagues such as the IPL, BBL, CPL, or SA20.

Domestic career

Raynard van Tonder began his domestic journey in October 2016 when he debuted for Free State in the Sunfoil 3-Day Cup. He scored 22 runs in the first innings and remained not out on 39 in the second. Just three days later, he made his List A debut against the same team, Easterns, where he impressed with 63 runs from 68 balls in the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge.

His T20 debut came a year later, in September 2017, against Kenya in the Africa T20 Cup. That match saw a short outing for him, as he was dismissed for only 2 runs. Despite the early setback, van Tonder continued to grow in South Africa’s domestic cricket.

In July 2018, he was selected for the South Africa Emerging Squad, highlighting his steady rise. Later that year, in October, he scored a remarkable 250 against Gauteng in the CSA 3-Day Provincial Cup. That knock put him in the spotlight, showing his ability to build big innings under pressure.

By 2019, van Tonder was leading Free State in the CSA Provincial T20 Cup. During the 2019–20 CSA 4-Day Franchise Series, he became the highest run-scorer with 843 runs in just eight matches. This performance brought him closer to the national setup, and in December 2020, he earned a call-up to South Africa's Test squad for the Sri Lanka series.

He remained active in the domestic circuit, including being part of Free State’s squad for the 2021–22 season. In November 2021, he was named in the South Africa A team for the series against India A, showing continued belief in his potential.

As of May 2025, Raynard van Tonder is still active in professional cricket, currently representing Excelsior '20 in the Topklasse league — the top level of domestic cricket in the Netherlands. His domestic career reflects consistency, growth, and determination across formats and regions.

Records and achievements

Raynard van Tonder has earned recognition at both junior and senior levels of South African cricket. His performances have stood out in domestic tournaments and youth internationals, bringing him personal awards and setting records for his teams. Below is a list of his key records and achievements by year:

2018

• 348 runs in 6 matches — Leading run-scorer for South Africa at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
• 3rd highest run-scorer overall in the 2018 ICC Under-19 World Cup.
• Scored 2 centuries in the tournament, including one against New Zealand Under-19s.
• Named the "Rising Star" of the South African team by the ICC after the tournament.
• Held the record for most catches in youth ODIs for South Africa Under-19s (21 total).

2019–2020

• Finished as the highest run-scorer in the CSA 4-Day Franchise Series with 843 runs in 8 matches.

2021

• Selected in the South Africa A squad for the series against India A.

2023–2024 Season

• Won the One-Day Player of the Year at the North West Awards Ceremony for domestic performance.
• At the Knights Annual Awards, collected four awards, including the Most Valuable Player of the Year title.

Personal life

Raynard van Tonder was born on 26 September 1998 in Bethlehem, Free State province, South Africa. Away from the cricket field, his life remains relatively private. However, a few details about his background, lifestyle, and media presence are known.

Family

Raynard comes from a family with a cricket background. From a young age, he played cricket with local children and slowly developed a passion for the game. Support from his parents and coaches played a key role in his progress. His father's name is Mr. Tonder, and his mother is Mrs. van Tonder. Their support helped shape his early cricket career. As of now, there is no public information confirming if he is married or has children.

Finance

As of February 2025, Raynard van Tonder’s estimated net worth is around 721,000 USD. This amount reflects his career earnings from domestic cricket, international appearances, and endorsements.

Scandals

In February 2024, during a Test match between New Zealand and South Africa, broadcasters made two on-air mistakes involving van Tonder. His name was incorrectly displayed as “Raymond van Tonder,” and an image of Kane Williamson was mistakenly shown next to his name. Both errors were later corrected, but the moment drew brief attention online.

Fans

Raynard van Tonder has a growing fan base. As of early 2025, his Instagram account has 4.2k followers, and he remains active in the South African cricket community.