In cricket, the word “promise” carries a deeper meaning than just potential.
It reflects the hope and anticipation of greatness, the budding talent of a player poised to make a lasting impact.
Every cricketer, from a young prodigy to an emerging star, embodies this promise—whether through a blistering stroke, a perfectly timed delivery, or the sheer grit to rise above challenges.
Speaking about promise blended with greatness, a young talent from South Africa was pitted for this rather big virtue after his astounding display of potential in the U-19 Cricket World Cup, a couple of years back.
Yes, the name under consideration was none other than Dewald Brevis who took the world by storm in the early part of 2022, scoring a massive 506 runs in just six games enroute to being adjudicated the player of the tournament and rightfully so.
Perhaps, such was his might and destructive outlook to batting that some so-called experts of the game and the public at large gave him the moniker of ‘Baby AB’ after the legendary AB de Villiers.
The world at the time was at his feet and a lucrative IPL contract in his pocket with none other than the biggest cricketing franchise on planet earth in the Mumbai Indians.
Did the IPL contract serve as precedent for visible confusion that’s followed?
With a career only pitted to soar at the time, things didn’t go exactly as planned, did they?
Brevis since making his IPL debut in 2022, played 10 innings, scoring 230 runs at an average of 23 and a strike-rate of 133.
He was also awarded a T20 debut for South Africa last year against Australia where he managed all of 5 runs in 2 matches.
Not astounding figures for a prodigious talent if you ask me who in a single tournament had scored 506 runs just some years back.
Did the pressure to perform in the IPL with all eyes on him become a burden too heavy to carry?
Perhaps.
And this is where his promise hit bewilderment in my humble opinion by opting to chase the shortest format at the inception of his career.
Instead of pursuing IPL at the time, had he considered furthering his talent in the domestic 4-day competition in South Africa and possibly hunting a county contract, things could have been different.
His base would have been built for the red ball game and this is precisely the format in which he should have debuted for South Africa.
The challenge that tests a rising talent is always in the red ball game and not the shortest cherry on offer which again raises the debate of purity vs the big bucks.
Truth be told, one can never find an answer to this and its an individual’s calling with what they aspire to take from this beautiful game.
Well, what has happened is water under the bridge and age is undoubtedly on Dewald’s side at all of 21.
How can Dewald Brevis become a force to reckon with again?
As things stand, he is playing for South Africa A against Sri Lanka A in an ongoing List A series with possibly a recall to the national team merited at some point.
For this to materialise, Cricket South Africa and the red ball coach Shukri Conrad need to invest in Brevis in a more sought-after way and perhaps take a similar route as done for Tristan Stubbs who pitted as a white ball cricketer has been given an opportunity in the longest format to express his mettle.
South Africa needs more depth in test cricket and for me Dewald Brevis is unquestionably that talent who with his all-round ability as a phenomenal batter and a wily leg-break bowler can cement a spot in the longest format.
Make a name in the longest format Dewald and when the time is right, the limited overs calling won’t be so limited for you!
