Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, now head coach of the Pretoria Capitals, stole the spotlight at the SA20 2025 auction on Tuesday by securing South Africa’s young batting prodigy Dewald Brevis for a record-breaking 16.5 million rand (₹8.31 crore). The bidding war turned into one of the most gripping moments of the evening, as Ganguly outmanoeuvred Stephen Fleming’s Joburg Super Kings in a heated tussle.
In true Sourav Ganguly fashion, he added a touch of humor after sealing the deal, recalling his on-field battles with Fleming. “He got me out too many times when he was captain in New Zealand. On those green, seaming pitches, he had fielders all around and the ball kept moving. This was a chance to beat him, and we went past him,” Ganguly said with a grin.
Hemang Badani couldn’t…
Ganguly just did it like a Boss. 😎Dewald Brevis to Capitals!pic.twitter.com/89916jjgm1
— Jyotirmay Das (@dasjy0tirmay) September 9, 2025
The auction battle was fierce, with Kumar Sangakkara’s Paarl Royals also in contention until the 10 million rand mark. From there, it looked as though Joburg had Brevis in the bag, but Ganguly’s late intervention pushed the price higher and eventually set a new league record.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Dismisses Plea To Cancel India vs Pakistan Asia Cup 2025 Game
Nicknamed “Baby AB” for his batting style reminiscent of AB de Villiers, Dewald Brevis has quickly established himself as one of South Africa’s brightest stars. Since joining MI Cape Town in 2023, he has scored 676 runs in 32 matches at a strike rate of 145+, including four fifties.
His breakthrough season came in 2024, when he played a pivotal role in Cape Town’s maiden title triumph, smashing 291 runs in 10 games at a blistering strike rate of 184.17. In 2025, Brevis has taken his game to another level, scoring 995 runs in 30 T20 innings at an average of 43.26 with a strike rate of 186, highlighted by a century and six half-centuries.
ALSO READ: Lalchand Rajput Admits UAE Were Overawed By India’s Big Names in Asia Cup 2025
His IPL stint with Chennai Super Kings was also a rare positive in a tough season, where he struck 225 runs in just six games at a strike rate of 180, including two half-centuries. With Ganguly’s backing and Pretoria’s investment, Brevis now carries the weight of expectations as the Capitals eye glory in SA20 2025.
