AUS vs SA 2025: ‘Baby AB’ title a heavy burden on Dewald Brevis, says Glenn Maxwell

Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has commented on Dewald Brevis’ rise, noting that the young South African has had to shoulder the expectations that come with being called ‘Baby AB’.

The 22-year-old, long compared to AB de Villiers, carried the nickname from his Under-19 days. Maxwell acknowledged that the tag was often more of a burden than a blessing, especially given how quickly Brevis was thrust into the international spotlight.

“It’s a pretty heavy burden he had to have 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,” said Maxwell as quoted by Yahoo News.

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Brevis’ recent form has been nothing short of spectacular. In the second T20I against Australia, he smashed an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls, including 12 fours and eight sixes. His innings came at a strike rate of 223, propelling the Proteas to 218 for 7 and helping them secure a 53-run victory. The remarkable performance propelled him up the ICC T20I rankings, where he jumped 80 places to 21st, achieving a career-best 614 rating points.

Brevis made a promising start with Mumbai Indians (MI) but struggled with consistency, eventually parting ways with the franchise. IPL 2025 offered him a fresh start with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where he was signed 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 T20 credentials.

So far, Brevis has played two Tests and 10 T20Is and is in contention for South Africa’s ODI squad against Australia. The Proteas will face Australia in a three-match ODI series, with the first match scheduled for August 19.