AB de Villiers Applauds Dewald Brevis’ Heroics: Former South Africa skipper AB de Villiers couldn’t stop praising young star Dewald Brevis after his jaw-dropping century in the second T20I against Australia at the Marrara Cricket Ground in Darwin on Wednesday, August 12.
Along with his praise, AB also had a few pointed words for IPL teams, including his old franchise RCB, for letting Brevis slip through their fingers.
Dewald Brevis Smashes Records in Darwin:
Dewald Brevis lit up the game with a blistering hundred off just 41 balls, producing the second-fastest T20I century ever by a South African. After starting cautiously, the youngster shifted gears in style, unleashing a flurry of big hits and punishing Australia for dropping him early in the innings.
He brought up his maiden ton in style, flicking Australian pacer Ben Dwarshuis to the boundary. By the time he walked off unbeaten on 125, the 22-year-old had set a new record for the highest T20I score by a South African. The previous top scores on that list belong to Faf du Plessis (119 vs West Indies), Richard Levi (117* vs New Zealand), Reeza Hendricks (117 vs Pakistan), and Morne van Wyk (114* vs West Indies).
A New Benchmark Against Australia:
Brevis’ fireworks also helped South Africa post their highest-ever T20I total against Australia, surpassing the 204 for 7 they made at the Wanderers back in 2016.
With his 125 not out in Darwin, Brevis overtook Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 123 not out to claim the highest individual T20I score against Australia. He also went past Shane Watson’s record of 124 not out for the highest T20I score in Australia.
AB de Villiers Calls Out IPL Teams:
After the match, AB de Villiers was full of admiration but also a bit critical of IPL franchises like Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for missing out on Brevis in the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. Instead, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) swooped in and signed the youngster for INR 2.2 Crores as a replacement player after he went unsold at the auction.
Read More
AB did not hold back his praise for CSK’s move, calling it “possibly the best decision ever made” by the five-time champions. Brevis certainly repaid their faith, scoring 225 runs in just 6 matches at a strike rate of 180.00, including a sizzling 57 off 23 balls against Gujarat Titans.
AB de Villiers posted, X: “There was such a golden opportunity for IPL teams to pick up Dewald Brevis at the auction! Missed out badly. CSK either got very lucky, or maybe it was the biggest master stroke ever. 👏 The boy can play @BrevisDewald.”
There was such a golden opportunity for IPL teams to pick up Dewald Brevis at the auction! Missed out badly. CSK either got very lucky, or maybe the biggest master stroke ever👏 The boy can play @BrevisDewald
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) August 12, 2025
Dewald Brevis’ Rollercoaster IPL Journey
Not many people remember that Dewald Brevis actually made his IPL debut with the Mumbai Indians back in 2022. He played seven matches that season and scored 161 runs. The numbers were not enough to convince MI to keep him, so they released him ahead of the 2023 season.
Interestingly, they brought him back the following year, but things did not quite click again. In just three games, the Proteas batter managed 69 runs before MI let him go once more. This time, he went unsold at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.
However, fate had other plans. Injuries in the Chennai Super Kings camp opened the door for Brevis, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. His performances since joining CSK have shown exactly why many believe he is one of the most exciting young talents in world cricket right now.
Read More
ALSO READ: ‘Itna Marega Na Tujhe’: Yuvraj Singh Jokes With Rohit Sharma Impersonator
