Glenn Maxwell endorses THIS player as South Africa’s next AB de Villiers

DARWIN: Experienced Australian all rounder Glenn Maxwell on Sunday praised young South African batter Dewald Brevis, calling him the ‘Baby AB.’

Speaking to the Australian media, Maxwell noted that while the tag was flattering, it often brought more pressure than benefits.

“It’s a pretty heavy burden he had to bear early in his career. He probably got fast-tracked a little bit into the South African side. 

He’s gone away, worked on his game and he’s come back playing beautifully. His bat swing is really pure, he’s hard to stop when he gets going,” Maxwell said.

The 22-year-old Brevis, long compared to AB de Villiers, carried the nickname from his Under-19 days. His recent form has turned heads worldwide. 

In the second T20I against Australia, he smashed an unbeaten 125 off just 56 balls, including 12 fours and eight sixes.

His innings, at a strike rate of 223, helped South Africa post 218 for 7 and secure a 53-run victory. The performance catapulted him up the ICC T20I rankings, jumping 80 places to 21st with a career-best 614 rating points.

Brevis’ T20 credentials were further strengthened in IPL 2025. After a challenging stint with Mumbai Indians, he joined Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as an injury replacement for INR 2.2 crore.

In six matches, he scored 225 runs at a strike rate of 180, including two half-centuries, reaffirming his explosive batting abilities.

Brevis has played two Tests and 10 T20Is so far for South Africa. With his rising form, he is in contention for South Africa’s ODI squad against Australia, with the first match of the three-match series scheduled for August 19.