"Told mumma, I am never going to study" - Rising CSK star makes big revelation about passion for cricket while growing up

South African batter Dewald Brevis has recalled how he would tell his mother as a kid that he was never going to study and instead, focus on cricket after school finished. The rising Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star admitted that he loved the sport and was passionate about playing it. He added that he played many others sports as well, but cricket was always the priority.

Brevis made his international debut against Australia in August 2023 and has played 14 matches, across formats, for his country. The right-hander told Supersport:

“I always told my mama, I am never going to study. I’m going to play cricket as I get out of school. If you go through school and everywhere, cricket was always my love, my passion. I played lots of sports, but as a youngster, you know what you love and what you like to do, cricket was always up there.”

Brevis recalled the time when he was picked by Mumbai Indians at the IPL auction. The right-hander said that he was seated with wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock while his bid was going on.

“We played against the Knights. I did quite all right with the bat, got off to a flyer of a start. Then, I went out, and as I was sitting in the dugout, that’s why probably I didn’t bat for that long because I was sitting on a chair, and on the big screen, the auction appeared, and I was basically getting bid on," he said.

“I saw it, but I didn’t want to show the team I was looking at it. So I was just looking at our game, and then Quinny (Quinton de Kock) was sitting at the back. He said, ‘No, no, forget about our game. Come sit next to me. Do you know what just happened now?. Life just changed.’ I’ll always be grateful for that moment. Yeah, it was a part of my journey and special days," he added.

Dewald Brevis recalls the first time he met his hero AB de Villiers as a kid

Dewald Brevis, who considers AB de Villiers as his hero, recalled the first time he met the legendary South African batter. The 22-year-old said that he was star-struck, but managed to request him for his number which he obliged. He added that he had remained in touch with the 41-year-old since the lockdown days.

“I will always remember that day, but basically, I have met him once and asked him for a picture. That was a few days, actually, before I met him properly. So we were in Hazlewood Culture Club, a restaurant, with my brother and family. AB and his wife just walked past us, and somehow I just stood there star-struck. I wanted to ask for a picture, but I didn’t like it, and I couldn’t get it out. Then his wife told, ‘AB, come AB, come for a picture'," he said.

"A few days later, a student in grade eight comes running around, and he told us, ‘Listen, AB is here at the school.’ We rush there, and there’s a queue and stuff, but we go through the queue and into the office. There’s AB. Me, star-struck, skull star-struck. Basically, could not get any questions out. He was ready to leave, and I asked, ‘Now we are going to walk with you,’ and as we were walking, something inside, a few words came out, and I said, ‘AB, you can say no, but can I please have your number?’," he continued.

"Then, he gave me his number, and I sent him a message a bit later, just to say thank you and anything, but I can’t remember the rest. Since that day, the lockdown came, and we stayed in touch, and that’s basically how his mentoring and our relationship started," he said.

AB de Villiers, recently, complimented IPL team Chennai Super Kings for buying the right-hander after he made a 41-ball hundred against Australia.