Ab de Villiers, the former South African batter widely regarded as one of the best of all time, has identified a 19-year-old compatriot, Dewald Brevis, as a player who reminds him of current Indian sensation Suryakumar Yadav. Known as “Baby AB,” Brevis shares a dressing room with Suryakumar at the Mumbai Indians during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has displayed similar traits to the Indian batter, according to de Villiers.
Both Suryakumar and Brevis have an aggressive approach to the game, taking on bowlers and not letting them settle, de Villiers wrote in his blog for Betway. Although Suryakumar is more experienced, having excelled in the IPL for several seasons and now occupying the No. 1 position in the ICC T20I batter’s rankings, Brevis has a lot to learn but shows exciting potential, according to de Villiers.
Brevis made his IPL debut last year for the Mumbai Indians, for whom he was signed in the mega auction for Rs 3 crore. In seven matches, he scored 161 runs at an average of 23.00 and a strike rate of 142.47. Despite his limited experience, de Villiers sees similarities between Brevis and Suryakumar’s approach to the game, which excites him.
Suryakumar, often compared to de Villiers due to his innovative shots and aggressive batting style, has taken the cricket world by storm and become a fan favorite. He has been a consistent performer for the Mumbai Indians and his current form has seen him climb to the top of the T20I rankings.
Last year at the IPL mega auction, Mumbai Indians invested a substantial amount of ₹3 crores in the young talent Dewald Brevis, who was only 18 at the time. This move came shortly after Brevis’ outstanding performance in the Under19 World Cup, where he emerged as the top run-scorer of the tournament, accumulating an impressive 506 runs from just six innings. In his debut season with Mumbai Indians, Brevis had the opportunity to play in seven matches, where he contributed 161 runs and claimed a wicket. With the new season around the corner, Mumbai Indians will be looking forward to the dynamic duo of Suryakumar Yadav and the promising Baby AB, Dewald Brevis, to lead the charge and secure their sixth IPL title.
De Villiers, who retired from all forms of the game a couple of years ago, was a nightmare for bowlers during his playing days and was known for his innovative shots and ability to score quickly. His praise for Brevis and his comparison to Suryakumar highlight the potential that the young South African possesses, and it will be interesting to see how he develops in the coming years.
In conclusion, the identification of similarities between Suryakumar Yadav’s and Dewald Brevis’ approach to cricket by Ab de Villiers is a significant development in the world of cricket. Both players are known for their aggressive approach to the game, and Brevis’ potential to develop into a player similar to Suryakumar is exciting for cricket fans. It remains to be seen how Brevis will develop over the coming years, but the potential for him to follow in the footsteps of de Villiers and Suryakumar is certainly there.
