Chennai Super Kings are out of the race for the IPL 2025 play-offs.
Before Wednesday's game against Kolkata Knight Riders, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's CSK had only two wins from 11 matches.
But the franchise is already looking to build a tight squad for IPL 2026.
So they made a major mid-season signing by bringing in South African Devald Brevis for Rs 2.2 crores (Rs 22 million).
Brevis had initially gone unsold at the IPL mega auction but was brought in as a replacement for injured pacer Gurjapneet Singh on April 18, 2025.
The 22 year old is not new to the IPL having been part of the Mumbai Indians set up but with limited game time -- he was part of MI in 2022 and 2024.
Everyone's loss was CSK's gain and he exhibited his prowess and the 'Yellove' from the moment he donned the franchise's colours.
He top-scored for the team with a 25-ball 42 on his CSK debut in the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25.
Brevis continued his good run, hitting a 26-ball 32 in another losing cause, this time against Punjab Kings but only proving his value.
In the last close loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru he got a duck.
But this Protea has fire and the smarts for a T20 batter, and he made it very apparent at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday.
Chasing a gettable 180 for victory, CSK lost half the side inside in the Powerplay overs -- Brevis walked in at the start of the 6th over after the fall of Ravichandran Ashwin's wicket; Ravindra Jadeja returned to the dugout in the same over.
At 62 for 5 in 6 overs, it was looking bleak for the visitors.
But Brevis and Shivam Dube kept CSK in the hunt. They bided their time and in the next four overs rotated the strike. They only hit two sixes and a four from overs seven to 10.
At the halfway stage, CSK needed 87 off 60 balls, the target was gettable but something had to give.
Brevis decided it was time to get going. Vaibhav Arora, who had removed Ayush Mhatre first ball, was re-introduced into the attack to break the partnership.
And he nearly had the man -- a slower, full ball, Brevis lofted it over the bowler. Angrish Raghuvanshi ran sideways at long on to attempt the catch but the ball burst through his hands and a six to start the over.
Arora bowled another leg cutter down the leg side next ball and Brevis flicked it to fine leg for a four.
Brevis was in the mood now and the full toss was smashed back past the ducking bowler for another four!
Brevis punished the next full toss for a six!
Just brute force and the Protea made Arora pay, as he dispatched another another juicy full toss over long on for the third six of the over!
Even as the cameras panned to KKR Skipper Ajinkya Rahane's sullen reactions, Brevis ended the over with a cut past extra cover for a four to fetch 30 big runs in the over.
Brevis brought up his maiden IPL 50 with that six (50 off 23 balls) and turned the match on its head with his destructive batting, bringing the equation down to a very gettable 57 off 54 balls.
Although CSK lost three wickets and left it to M S Dhoni and Anshul Kamboj to bring the winning runs in the last over, CSK is finally getting something going for them at the backend of this season.
The South African's blistering 52 off 25 balls not only augurs well for him personally but for the franchise who are aiming to build a team from scratch for next season.
Brevis plies his trade across continents in T20 franchise cricket.
Other than the IPL, he has been a prolific scorer in the SA20 tournament earlier this year with 291 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 184.18. He has also played in the Caribbean Premier and Major League cricket making a name for himself as T20 specialist.
In 81 T20s he has scored 1,787 runs with the highest score of 162, while playing just 2 T20Is for South Africa back in 2023.
With those numbers and six hitting ability, the moniker 'Baby AB' -- his batting stance is similar to the South African legend -- suits him just right.
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