IPL 2025: Tom Moody rates Dewald Brevis’ signing as CSK’s best in last decade

Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody has tipped Chennai Super Kings’ signing of Dewald Brevis as one of the franchise’s best in the last decade. The young South African went unsold in the IPL mega auction but he replaced injured Gurjapneet Singh midway through the season.

Brevis scored a match-winning knock of 52 runs off just 25 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Wednesday to help his team get over the line in the run-chase of 180.

The right-hander took Vaibhav Arora to the cleaners, smashing the fast bowler for 30 runs in an over, which proved to be the turning point of the game. Brevis has scored 126 runs in four matches of IPL 2025 for CSK at an average of 31.50 and a strike rate of 163.63.

The former SRH head coach recalled how Chris Gayle replaced Dirk Nannes for RCB and performed consistently.

“Didn’t get picked up in the auction, comes in as a replacement player, and this (Brevis) could be one of Chennai’s best signings of the decade. Because, we saw back when Chris Gayle came in as a replacement player for Dirk Nannes for RCB, end of story. Everyone was shocked Gayle did not get picked up and that was because of clash of fixtures, I think at the time,” Moody said on ESPN Cricinfo.

“He had a stellar career for RCB. Yes, they did not win anything, but from an individual’s performance point of view, he dominated the IPL. I’m not saying Brevis is going to be Chris Gayle, but what I am going to say is that Brevis is an exceptionally talented player, and he is just starting to realise that talent,” he added.

Meanwhile, Brevis was awarded Player of the Match for his fine knock against KKR and he said he had to adapt quickly in the run-chase.

“Forever grateful, just want to use this opportunity to thank god. Lots of fun, few quick wickets, had to adapt quickly. It’s almost like, you have to sum the conditions quickly and go after the bowling. That’s exactly what is important in T20, bad ball or good ball, shouldn’t go out of the moment. It’s just to keep enjoying it, keep true to myself, play as long as possible, just trust the process,” Brevis told the broadcasters after CSK’s two-wicket win over KKR.

CSK will next take on the Rajasthan Royals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Monday.