IPL 2025: Honour to be compared to ABD, but I want to be my player, says CSK's Dewald Brevis

Ahmedabad, May 25 (IANS) Dewald Brevis continued to dazzle fans with his innovative batting and power-hitting as he smashed a 23-ball 57, his second half-century of the season, to help Chennai Super Kings end their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a comprehensive defeat of table-toppers Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Sunday.

Later, the young South African batter acknowledged the long-standing comparisons between him and one of the most successful Proteas batters in IPL history, AB De Villiers, but said he would like to be known for his own style of batting.

Brevis’ fifty, which earned him the Player of the Match honour, propelled Chennai Super Kings to a massive score of 230 and ultimately resulted in an 83-run win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

In the post-match presentation, Brevis said that while being compared to the RCB legend is an honour, he wants to be his own player.

“I am happy, I am enjoying the game, having fun out there. Need to be myself. I have been the kid who has always enjoyed the moment while playing out there. I kept telling my mind, 'it's cool, not warm (conditions)'. I needed to play an innings like that, very grateful for it. I need to keep playing, that's what everyone has said. AB is someone I look up to; he has helped to improve my game, but I want to be my own player. It's an honour to be compared to AB de Villiers,” said Brevis.

Brevis was signed as a replacement for Gurjapneet Singh towards the end of the tournament and has played only six games this season, but he still managed to score 225 runs at a strike rate of 180.

While Brevis handled matters with the bat, it was Noor Ahmad who reclaimed the Purple Cap with three wickets on the day, taking his season tally to 24 wickets and cleaning up GT’s middle and lower order.

The Afghan bowler said cricket is about ups and downs, but CSK will come back stronger next season, after finishing dead last in this edition.

“Great way to finish the tournament. We did not have a good season, but it was so good to finish the tournament this way. (On which today's wickets he liked the most) The third one - that was good. It was a bit faster, and that's what I enjoyed about it. Everyone gave their best, still, we tried our best, and it's cricket, ups and downs happen, hopefully, we will come back stronger,” said Noor.

--IANS

aaa/bsk/