Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have welcomed a fresh addition to their squad — and it’s a name that brings both flair and promise. South Africa’s 21-year-old batting sensation Dewald Brevis has joined the MS Dhoni-led side for the remainder of IPL 2025, stepping in as a replacement for the injured fast bowler Gurjapneet Singh.
With CSK struggling this season — just two wins from seven games and anchored at the bottom of the 10-team table — Brevis arrives at a time when the team desperately needs a spark. CSK’s batting unit has been largely underwhelming.
While Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube have offered glimpses of form, the rest of the lineup has faltered in delivering match-winning performances. Even Dhoni’s late-innings cameos, though entertaining, haven’t been enough to swing games in CSK’s favour. The team needed an injection of power and stability in the middle order, and Brevis fits that requirement to a tee.
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The IPL confirmed Brevis’s signing with an official statement: “Chennai Super Kings have signed South Africa’s Dewald Brevis as a replacement for the injured Gurjapneet Singh. Brevis has played 81 T20s, scoring 1787 runs, including a highest score of 162. He made his T20I debut for South Africa in 2023 and featured in two games. Brevis was earlier part of Mumbai Indians and will now join CSK for INR 2.2 crore.”
And now, Dewald Brevis is Yellove! 💛#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 18, 2025
Nicknamed ‘Baby AB’ due to his uncanny resemblance to AB de Villiers in batting style, Brevis first made headlines in the 2022 ICC Under-19 World Cup, where he smashed 506 runs — the highest tally in a single edition of the tournament. He later rewrote T20 record books with a blazing 162 off just 57 balls, reaching 150 in 52 deliveries — the fastest in T20 cricket — during a CSA T20 Challenge clash for Titans.
His prowess isn’t limited to domestic cricket either. Brevis impressed across global leagues including the CPL, MLC, and SA20. In the most recent SA20 season, he tallied 291 runs at a strike rate of 184.17, finishing as the sixth-highest run-scorer and playing a key role in MI Cape Town’s title triumph.
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Interestingly, Brevis sparked speculation of his CSK move with a cryptic yellow-themed Instagram post before the official announcement. He joins another youngster, Ayush Mhatre, who replaced the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad earlier this season. With Brevis onboard, CSK fans can hope the tide may finally turn.
