Did you know Dewald Brevis is called ‘Baby AB’? Here’s everything about the South African cricketer who just joined CSK

Chennai Super Kings, five-time IPL champions, have added South Africa’s Dewald Brevis to their squad for the remainder of IPL 2025. This comes after their fast bowler Gurjapneet Singh was ruled out due to injury. Though Brevis entered last year’s mega auction with a base price of ?75 lakh, CSK signed him for ?2.2 crore, owing to a vacant overseas slot left in their roster.

CSK’s season hasn’t gone as planned so far. With only two wins at the halfway point of the tournament, they are currently at the bottom of the points table. The inclusion of Brevis could give them a much-needed boost as they prepare to face Mumbai Indians next at Wankhede on April 20.

Brevis’ track record across leagues

The 21-year-old is often called ‘Baby AB’ because of his playing style and resemblance to AB de Villiers. Though he has played only two T20Is for South Africa with a total of five runs, his performances in franchise cricket have gained attention. Brevis has appeared in 81 T20 matches, scoring 1,787 runs at an average of 26.27 and an impressive strike rate of 144.93. His highest T20 score stands at 162, and he has notched up seven fifties and a century in the format.

Dewald Brevis | Credit: X

Brevis previously played 10 IPL matches for Mumbai Indians, scoring 230 runs at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 133.72. His best IPL score is 49. In the 2025 SA20 League, he was in excellent form, scoring 291 runs from 10 matches with an average of 48.5 and a strike rate of 148.17, making him the sixth-highest scorer in the tournament.

Form and expectations heading into CSK

Before being signed by CSK, Brevis was performing consistently for the Titans in domestic cricket. He played in the CSA 4-Day Series Division 1 and ended up as the second-highest run-getter, scoring 573 runs in 12 matches at an average of 47.75. He also did well in List A formats, showing form across formats that helped secure his place in the IPL again.

He continues to play for Mumbai Indians in both MLC and SA20, even though he's now wearing CSK yellow in IPL.

With regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad out, and Ayush Mhatre already added as a replacement, Brevis becomes the second mid-season addition for CSK. Whether or not he gets to start against his former franchise remains to be seen, but with CSK's season on the line, all focus will be on ‘Baby AB’ to deliver.

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