MUMBAI — Dewald Brevis, the South African batting prodigy dubbed “Baby AB” for his fearless, 360-degree strokeplay, has traded the blue of Mumbai Indians for the yellow of Chennai Super Kings. The move, announced on April 18, 2025, sees the 21-year-old join CSK as a replacement for injured pacer Gurjapneet Singh for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. It’s a bold shift for a player who’s been a Mumbai loyalist, and it’s got fans buzzing about what Brevis can bring to a struggling CSK side.
Brevis, known for hammering bowlers with the same flair as his idol AB de Villiers, inked the deal with CSK for INR 2.2 crore. He’s no stranger to the IPL grind, having debuted for Mumbai Indians in 2022. Over two stints with MI, in 2022 and 2024, he played 10 matches, piling up 230 runs at a strike rate of 133.72. His best knock? A fiery 49 that showed glimpses of his big-stage potential. But his last IPL appearance was in 2024, a season where he managed just 69 runs in three games, often slotted as an Impact Player. Mumbai released him before the 2025 mega auction, and when no team bid for his INR 75 lakh base price, it seemed his IPL story might stall. Then CSK, down a bowler and desperate for batting spark, came calling.
The Johannesburg-born right-hander isn’t just an IPL journeyman. He’s played 81 T20s worldwide, smashing 1,787 runs with a jaw-dropping high of 162. His T20I debut for South Africa came in 2023, though he’s only featured in two internationals. Earlier this year, Brevis lit up the SA20 league, scoring 291 runs for MI Cape Town at a blistering 184.17 strike rate, helping them clinch their first title. That form carried into South Africa’s domestic scene, where he racked up 573 runs in 12 first-class innings for Titans. CSK, languishing at the bottom of the IPL table with two wins from seven games, hopes Brevis can jolt their misfiring middle order, which has the league’s worst average and strike rate.
Brevis didn’t suit up for CSK’s clash against Mumbai Indians on April 20—jet lag and a packed overseas roster kept him on the bench. Instead, 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, another replacement signing, debuted. But Brevis got his chance on April 25, making his CSK debut against Sunrisers Hyderabad, stepping in alongside Sam Curran and Deepak Hooda. It’s a high-stakes moment for the young gun, who now bats under the shadow of MS Dhoni’s leadership and a fanbase hungry for a turnaround.
CSK’s season has been a rough ride. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s elbow fracture forced Dhoni back into the skipper’s role, and injuries like Gurjapneet’s have only deepened the woes. Brevis, with his knack for clearing ropes and thriving on slow wickets, could be the x-factor. His IPL journey started with Mumbai, but now, in Chennai’s den, he’s got a shot to rewrite his story.
Brevis last played in the IPL in 2024 for Mumbai Indians. He joined CSK on April 18, 2025, for INR 2.2 crore. His CSK debut came on April 25, 2025, against Sunrisers Hyderabad.