CONRAD HOPING 'EXCEPTIONAL' BREVIS CAN SHOW OFF ALLROUND TALENTS

Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad has lauded MI Cape Town allrounder Dewald Brevis as an “exceptional talent”.

Conrad has been one of Brevis’ long-time mentors having first seen the 21-year-old whilst still a schoolboy at Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool (Affies) before selecting him for the SA U19 team which competed in the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup back in 2022 in the Caribbean.

It was here that Brevis shot to global stardom when he broke the record for the most runs scored in a single U19 World Cup tournament, previously held by India’s Shikhar Dhawan, who scored 505 in the 2004 edition, by striking 506 runs in six innings at an average of 84.33.

The entire world suddenly became Brevis’ oyster as he was picked up by Mumbai Indians to play in the Indian Premier League and in other teams associated with the MI family in various other leagues, including Betway SA20 and Major League Cricket in the United States of America.

With Brevis having benefitted from these experiences over the last couple of years, Conrad has come calling again by handing his prodigy a maiden Proteas Test call-up for the upcoming tour to Bangladesh.

"I thought it would be a great learning for him," Conrad said. "I know what he is capable of. Whether he is a generational talent … some might say yes, and others might say no … I think he is an exceptional talent."

Conrad believes Brevis can fulfil a similar role to what New Zealand’s maverick Glenn Phillips does for the Black Caps.

"New Zealand have carved up a niche for them with Glenn Phillips, an attacking player who comes in at No 7 or No 8 and bowls some off-spin," Conrad added.

"Dewald can bowl some handy leg-spin, and he is one of the best players of spin going around. He also has a power game to match."

Brevis is certainly relishing the opportunity to show off not only his batting talents, but also being able to turn his arm over in the spin-friendly conditions of Bangladesh.

"I know I’m a batting all-rounder,” Brevis said. "I’m a leg-spin bowler. I’m not a part-timer, I just need more opportunities.

" [Spin bowling] is close to me and that’s what I want to be able to do in international cricket. I want to bring that other part of me that is there, I want to bring that forward.

"Throughout the age groups, throughout school, leg-spin has been such a big part of me. As I got a bit older at certain provincial levels, I was seen more as a batter. They didn’t bowl me as much.

"People didn’t notice the ability of my leg-spin too much and then at SA under-19, coach Shukri Conrad [now Test coach] saw my bowling and my batting and he really gave me a lot of opportunities."