Mumbai Indians and Titans Cricket batter, Dewald Brevis, expressed how the support and the backing from everyone at Mumbai propelled him to excel in the biggest of all stages in domestic T20 cricket. 

The 19-year-old Dewald Brevis has been on every cricket fan’s mind ever since the U19 World Cup earlier this year. When he was picked in the first round of the IPL Mega Auction for a whopping R6 Million by Mumbai Indians, there were no surprises. 

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Brevis lived up to the expectations and showed what he can do at a big stage and who he can potentially become with proper guidance and support. The youngster credited his MI teammates, staff members and the skipper Rohit Sharma for the backing which then translated to him playing his own game and doing well in his very first season at the IPL. 

“The setup and everything at MI (Mumbai Indians) are really so amazing because there are so many people and support around you,” said Brevis.

“I believed in the coaches and everyone, that they would plan my career and everything perfectly for me. I put my trust in them and believed that they would make the right decisions for me. Rohit Sharma and them, wanted me to be true to my game and the way I want to play. 

“I always play fearlessly and embrace the moment. Later on in the tournament, I had to learn to maybe go a gear down and adjust a bit. That’s all a part of learning.”

For a young man playing in only his second senior men’s tournament, Brevis needed reassurance and backing from everyone around him. Most importantly, he needed to be backed to go out in the middle and enjoy himself and play his own style or brand of cricket. 

In a tournament like the IPL, not only your teammates and management can provide tips or nuggets that would help your game and your career. Players and staff from the opposition teams also usually have a few words of advice to share, especially to a prodigy of the calibre of Brevis.

For Brevis, KL Rahul gave him advice that he says will stay with him for a long time to come. 

“For me, I believe in my strengths, I won’t go away from those. If I fail, it’s a part of life, it happens. It’s important to be yourself. KL Rahul told me this,” said Brevis.

“He told me the way you play is great and you shouldn’t change anything about who you are because that’s how you will succeed. Obviously, being fearless also means being smart about your fearlessness,” he concluded. 

The youngster is now back home in South Africa and will soon join the Titans team for the off-season preparations.

One can only assume that the coaching staff, teammates and everyone involved at Northerns Cricket will follow the blueprint that the Mumbai Indians started in order to create an environment in which this youngster and many others will thrive. 

Watch the full interview below:

Photo: IPL