The coming of age ‘Baby AB’ Dewald Brevis with a jaw-dropping T20I hundred against Australia on Tuesday drew lavish praise from South Africa stalwarts AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn.
The 22-year-old Brevis burst on the scene as a teenaged prodigy and even made his first IPL appearance as early as the 2022 season with the Mumbai Indians. However, it took a stunning injury replacement coup from Chennai Super Kings and a prolific SA20 tournament this year to announce his true arrival, and a rollicking 41-ball century in international colours exemplified Brevis’ potential.
“Brevis is the real f***** deal,” Steyn wrote on X after Brevis plundered an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls, his innings laced with 12 fours and eight sixes. Powering the Proteas to 218 for six, the knock ensured South Africa levelled the series 1-1.
Dewald Brevis explains his ‘no look’ six-hitting style #AUSvSA pic.twitter.com/Lfnp1nKsiZ
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) August 12, 2025
de Villiers slams IPL teams, praises CSK masterstroke
Meanwhile, AB de Villiers slammed IPL team managements in failing to address the South Africa star’s potential at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction.
: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,” wrote de Villiers on 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 the biggest master stroke ever👏 The boy can play @BrevisDewald
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) August 12, 2025
“Mind boggling that he wasn’t picked up at all! To think that he came in as an injury sub,” he added.
Signed up as an injury replacement for INR 2.2 Crore, Brevis lit up the second half of CSK’s 2025 IPL season, scoring 225 runs in six innings at a 180.00 strike rate.
“I haven’t thought about it to be honest (on having the highest score for South Africa in T20Is). Really grateful and thankful to god for winning tonight. We want to win and to come back stronger after the first game,” said Brevis after the innings.
“Everyone played a part, and we took our catches. They are great players and they hit the ball hard and over the ropes, we have to be on it in this format. We played well today, so it’s great,” he added.
