Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has indicated that Dewald Brevis’s recovery from a side strain is being handled with care, and the franchise is hopeful the South African batter will be available for the next contest. Brevis missed CSK’s opening three matches in the ongoing IPL, but with a five-day window between the team’s game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and their upcoming fixture versus Delhi Capitals, Fleming believes there is a realistic path back to the playing XI.
Key takeaways
- Stephen Fleming said CSK are managing Dewald Brevis’s return from a side strain with a conservative approach.
- Brevis sat out CSK’s first three IPL matches because of the injury.
- CSK have a five-day gap between the RCB game and the next match against Delhi Capitals.
- Chennai’s next fixture is scheduled for April 11 at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai against Delhi Capitals.
- Brevis was involved in practice at the nets and took throwdowns ahead of CSK’s matches in the lead-up period.
- CSK added Brevis as a replacement in IPL 2025, and he went on to score 225 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 180.00.
Fleming optimistic about Brevis ahead of the Delhi clash
Speaking during the CSK vs RCB game, Fleming expressed confidence that the extra recovery time could help Brevis be ready for the next outing. He noted that the team has five days between the upcoming matches and that they have taken a cautious route to ensure the player does not return before he is properly prepared.
Fleming also acknowledged that Brevis’s absence has been a major setback for CSK, who have endured a tough start and have lost their first three matches of the season. Despite the early struggles, the coach said the squad is focused on getting Brevis back into action as soon as it is safe to do so, adding that the upcoming days should “go as planned” and allow him to be fit for selection.
Brevis back in training routine; role expected in the middle order
In the build-up to CSK’s game against Punjab Kings at Chepauk, Brevis trained at the side nets on April 2, working on his timing and movement. He also took throwdowns for nearly 20 minutes with CSK assistant coach Rajiv Kumar ahead of the contest against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Brevis joined Chennai Super Kings as a replacement player for IPL 2025, and he quickly stood out as one of the few positives in an otherwise disappointing tournament for the five-time champions, who ended the IPL points table at the bottom. Across six innings in that campaign, he amassed 225 runs at a strike rate of 180.00, including 17 sixes off 125 balls. CSK retained him for IPL 2026, and once he is fully fit, the plan is for Brevis to slot into the middle order.
