There’s nothing like the growing level of excitement whenever a young phenom takes center stage and continues to go from strength to strength. And Dewald Brevis, the 19-year-old Titans batter, is a case in point.

2022 has been a year full of memories for the talented big-hitter. An impressive showing in the ICC Under-19 World Cup opened many doors – starting off with a contract with the ever-so-lucrative Mumbai Indians to getting drafted in the Caribbean Premier League and the Lanka Premier League. And it’s been topped off with a record-toppling 162 against the Knights during the CSA T20 Challenge.

The secret to success for Brevis has largely been all about maintaining a cool head and stoic focus whenever it’s game time, and that approach has been very rewarding on numerous occasions.

“I think visualizing is important, but you don’t want to do it too much,” states Brevis. “On the previous night, I’ll be thinking about my game and what I want to do. Sometimes the conditions can be different, so staying calm is the best thing for me.”

The CSA T20 Challenge campaign was a major accomplishment, both from a personal and a team perspective. While Brevis is often known for his powerful and innovative batting, he had a chance to regularly bowl his part-time legspin. In addition, he has become more and more aware of how to go about depending on the context of the game. Everything’s a work in progress, and he’s eager to make progress whenever the opportunities are presented.

“Winning was the main goal. Whatever I want to do and how I play, it’s all for the team. If I need to fire from the front, I’ll do that, and if I have to play calmer, I’ll do that too. I learned a lot about my T20 game, and sometimes it’s these little things like how you got out and how much more you could’ve scored. Shot selection is very important, and I can’t wait to play.”

T20 has been the launch pad for Brevis’ meteoric rise. But at the same time, he has placed strong emphasis on making it across all formats of the game, especially the longest format.

“Yeah, that’s one of my biggest dreams. I can’t wait for my opportunity to be ready. Some always feel that I may go down the white-ball route, but I haven’t played professional cricket for a full year yet. So we need to be patient and know that I wholeheartedly want to play red-ball cricket.”

This statement in itself is refreshing, especially given the gradual paradigm shift when it comes to prioritizing formats. Yesterday, England youngster Will Smeed, 21, signed an exclusive short-format deal with his county side and it may have set the tone for cricketers to weigh their options very early in their careers. But Brevis has passionately fixed his mind on playing 4-day cricket, and it’s helpful that he’s part of a side with the incumbent Proteas Test skipper as well as some of the more experienced players in the domestic circuit.

There’s something to value in each format of the game, and for Brevis, the exposure will be priceless. Sometimes, players get pigeonholed as specialists in one format, but it’s important to keep an open mind. There aren’t as many multi-format regulars as there used to be, but that shouldn’t take anything away from the fact that Brevis has the hunger and talent to leave a long-lasting positive impression.