dewald brevis Although he is only 22 years old, he already thinks of his younger self and remembers how to play like and for that boy.
“I’m now actually back where I was, playing when I was 19 years old or younger,” Brevis said in Ahmedabad. South Africa We begin our T20 World Cup campaign. “I’ve moved away from that a little bit. Now it’s all about having fun, having fun and being yourself. Just being a little boy who really loves to play. Just seeing the ball and hitting it.”
Normally that would sound like a regression, but anyone who remembers Brevis at age 19, or even younger, will see that this attempt to turn back time is well-founded. About four years ago, Brevis was 18 years old. Top scorer at the U19 World Cup He scored 506 runs in six matches, including two and three centuries. This is the most by a batsman in a single tournament, and the most by a South African player in an Under-19 World Cup. He was quickly picked up by the Mumbai Indians, proof that everyone needed him to be considered the next big star.
And almost as soon as he stepped off the plane from the U-19 World Cup in the Caribbean, he was rushed into the Titans’ squad for the CSA T20 Challenge, with serious consequences. In this tournament, Brevis scored 145 runs in 7 innings, not scoring 50 runs, with a strike rate of 113.18. A quiet IPL followed, with 7 innings, 161 runs, a top score of 49, and an improved strike rate of 142.47. In October of the same year, Brevis broke the South African record for the highest score in a T20 match. 162 off 57 balls Although we won the domestic T20, the following year was tough.
From January 2023 to March 2024, Brevis played in 25 T20s (including two internationals) and scored 483 runs, including 3 fifties in 24, at a strike rate of 128.54. Something went wrong. It was because there were too many chefs in his kitchen. “Obviously you need to learn, you want to learn, you want to get better, and a lot of times coaches and well-meaning people want to give you good advice. And at the end of the day, just because you take all that advice doesn’t mean it’s going to work for you,” he said. “And when you’re apart, it takes away a little bit of your natural ability and humanity. And that’s what happened.”
At that moment when runs were drying up (by Brevis standards), he realized that the only person he needed to listen to was himself, his own instincts. “I found my way back to myself and being true to myself and the way I play,” he said. “There’s a lot to learn, but it’s just being yourself and being true to the way you play. Sometimes when you step back from that a little bit, you see what happens. And when you focus on actually being yourself and being true to yourself, you see what happens then, how you’re actually enjoying the game, how much fun you’re having, how well you’re actually doing.”
The numbers match. Since March 13, 2024, Brevis has played in 69 T20s and batted in 63 times. Scored 1708 runs at an average of 32.96 The strike rate is 165.58, including 201 and 10 fifties. One of those hundreds was the highest by a South African in a T20I (125* off 56 balls). played against Australia. That knock freed Brevis from the shackles of his old Baby AB nickname and showed him to be himself and a batsman in his own right.
Although he still considers AB de Villiers a hero and mentor, he is happy to step out of his shadow and into his own spotlight. “AB has always been my role model and still is. He still helps me a lot and I still respect him and his play, but it’s never put any pressure on me,” Brevis said. “I’ve never felt the pressure of being compared to him. He’s my hero, so it’s always been an honor and an honor. I’ve always felt that way. But I always knew it was my journey. I’m Dewald. I’m not somebody else. I have my own path, I’m going to have my own, I’m going to achieve and create and be myself. It’s never been a pressure for me. It’s just been a privilege.”
After just over 24 hours in India, it became clear that even the world’s most ardent cricket fans saw a different identity for Brevis. De Villiers is no longer the first name on fans’ lips, but Brevis (followed by all the usual suspects, including Jonty Rhodes). And he loves them. “The fans are crazy. They love their cricket. I love playing there and seeing all the fans and how that noise feels,” he said.
Indian cricket lovers also get to see much more of him than any other cricket fan who made headlines in both the IPL and SA20. All six franchises in SA20 are Indian-owned. The tournament was broadcast and loved in India, where fans would have followed Brevis’ journey from MICT to becoming the league’s record purchaser with Pretoria Capitals. Brevis has been one of the standout players this season and his performances have come under the tutelage of Sourav Ganguly, which has also strengthened his ties with India. “He’s a great guy. I really enjoyed working with him with his knowledge and everything he brought to the table,” Brevis said. “And he was a great player on the seam and spin and everything. He helped me in my game as well. He brought good energy and was good for the team.”
With SA20 completed and Brevis making good use of his price tag, his attention is now fully focused on the next challenge: his first World Cup. He describes this team in similar terms to Keshav Maharaj’s Capitals team that reached the finals. “We have a great group of strong players. We saw what happened in the World Test Championship final a few months ago. There is nothing more to say. We will do it on the field,” he said. “I’m so excited and blessed to be in this position. It’s always been a dream of mine and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”
And it seems that he in some way predicted this. Because when asked about all expectations for him, he doesn’t even flinch. “I always believed and knew that it would happen. I always said, I’m not going to study. I’m going to go to cricket soon. I always said it in words. I always imagined it and told people that this is what would happen, and I believed it. I was ready for it,” he said. “I have faith and believe that I’m on the right path and that my journey is in a great place. That takes a lot of pressure off.”
If Brevis’ words sound religious, that’s because they are. He has been open about his commitment to the Christian faith and what it has meant for him, and continues to practice and pray daily. “My religion and Jesus are very important to me, so I spend a lot of time morning and night with the Word (Bible),” he said. “But I haven’t really decided anything before the game. I’m just going to go through the day and stay in the moment.”
Just like a 19 year old would do.