Dewald Brevis Reveals He Took AB De Villiers’ Permission To Wear No. 17 On His Jersey
Updated - 28 Jan 2022, 04:45 PM
Young and exciting South Africa U19 star Dewald Brevis has revealed that he had asked the permission of his idol and former South Africa captain AB de Villiers whether he could continue his legacy and wear the number 17 on the back of his jersey.
Nicknamed ‘ABD 2.0’ or ‘Baby AB’, Dewald Brevis is often compared to AB de Villiers thanks to similar batting styles and blitzes over the 22 yards. He is having a brilliant outing in the ongoing ICC U19 World Cup 2022 in the West Indies.
With 362 runs in four games, in fact, the South African batter ended the league stage as the leading run-scorer. This also includes a blistering century. Brevis’ batting stance, his shots, and his ability to attack bowlers from the outset made the world take notice of his potential, and comparisons with De Villiers started.
I Asked AB De Villiers If I Can Carry That Number 17 On My Back: Dewald Brevis
Needless to mention, Brevis is overwhelmed with the same and he’s determined to rise to the expectations. However, in an interview video posted on the official website of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Brevis said that while he is honored to be compared with his idol, he wants to create his own identity as well.
“He (AB de Villiers) is a legend and one of the best in the whole world. I like being compared to him but I would like to have my own identity as Dewald Brevis,” the 18-year-old said.
Brevis also recalled having a face-to-face conversation with AB de Villiers and said that he was so nervous that he couldn’t get a word out of his mouth. Furthermore, he said that actually asked De Villiers for his permission to wear number 17 on his jersey, as it was the number that ABD wore during his South Africa career.
“At first I was overwhelmed, I couldn’t get a word out. I just sat there and listened to him. As the relationship grew, it became easier to speak to him. AB was always my role model. He wore the number 17 jersey. I just looked up to that. Then I asked AB if I can carry that number 17 on my back and then he said “You’re welcome”. So it’s a big honor for me to wear that jersey,” said Brevis.
