"There is more reason to show who you are then" - Dewald Brevis welcomes the pressure of expectations ahead of debut series against Australia

20-year-old South African batting sensation Dewald Brevis spoke about embracing the pressure and expectations ahead of his debut international series against Australia. The white-ball series consists of three T20Is followed by five ODIs, with the former kickstarting the action in Durban on Wednesday, August 30.

Popularly referred to as Baby AB after the former Proteas legend AB de Villiers, the talented batter has created plenty of buzz thanks to impressive performances in the IPL, CPL, MLC, and SA20 competitions.

Brevis also gained popularity with his sensational showing in the Under-19 World Cup last year, scoring 506 runs at an average of 84.33 and a strike rate of above 90.

Quoted by ESPN Cricinfo ahead of his maiden International assignment, Brevis remained amidst the massive expectations to the point of enjoying the spotlight.

"I know there will always be expectations and I always like that because there is more reason to show who you are then. Pressure is always there; I feel the pressure, but I like it. It's just how you deal with it, just being yourself and enjoying the moment and trying not to think too much of it. Just want people to get to know me as Dewald Brevis and just see how I go about my things and I want to inspire people and be an example for people," said Brevis.

He also expressed joy over his selection to the South African setup, calling it a dream come true.

"It's really been amazing, these last few days because a dream has come true for me. From a very young age, I've wanted to be part of this amazing set-up of the Proteas. It's been an honour and it's been wonderful to live my dream and to spend time with the team. Couldn't have asked for anything better," added Brevis.

Dewald Brevis smashed a brilliant 162 off 57 deliveries for the Titans during the SA T20 last year and was part of the title-winning Mumbai New York in the recently concluded MLC tournament.

"I know a few of them" - Dewald Brevis on being teammates with the Aussie players in the IPL

Brevis showed flashes of his stroke-making ability in IPL 2022

Dewald Brevis also spoke about sharing the dressing room with several Australian players during his stints with the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL.

The 20-year-old was bought by the franchise ahead of the 2022 season, where he displayed flashes of his brilliance by scoring 161 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 142.48.

"I know a few of them Cam Green, Jason Behrendorff, Tim David. It's really like if you play leagues you mix with all of the different nations cricketing wise and you learn to form a team with them also and spend time with them. But it's where I am now, it's your people, it's your call basically," said Brevis.

Overall, the right-handed batter has played 44 T20 games in his career, scoring over 1,000 runs at an average of 27.05 and a strike rate of 141.80.

Despite his call-up to the ODI squad, Dewald Brevis has played only eight List-A games, with an average of a tick over 35 and a 95 strike rate.