Proteas coach Shukri Conrad wants to broaden Dewald Brevis’ horizons in the red-ball arena after calling him up for the injured captain Temba Bavuma for their Test tour of Bangladesh.
Brevis is seen as a big talent in South African cricket, but has only played 12 First-Class matches so far in his young career. But his ability to hit the ball out of the park has seen him featured in various T20 cricket leagues around the world, while he has also played in two T20 International matches for the Proteas.
The 21-year-old has earned the nickname “Baby AB” for his likeness to the great AB de Villiers, who Brevis had idolised and copied in his formative years.
Brevis recently played for South Africa A in an unofficial Test against their Sri Lankan counterparts, scoring a 49 and 74. There certainly are players higher in the pecking order when it comes to the Proteas Test side, but Conrad feels the experience of touring with the team will do the Titans kid the world of good, even if he doesn’t get onto the park to play.
“I thought it would be a great learning for him. Obviously people would say what has he done to deserve that, but I would rather expose him to this environment,” Conrad said ahead of the team’s departure to Bangladesh.
“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.
A little highlights package of Dewald Brevis' 49 and 74 he made in the 2nd unofficial test against Sri Lanka A last week
In the 2nd innings the team was looking for quick runs to put a target on the board to declare by lunch time on the final day, and Brevis obliged pic.twitter.com/WvNE8Kjabr
“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. Dewald can bowl some handy leg-spin and he is one of the best players players of spin going around. He also has a power game to match.
“[But] he is just going to Bangladesh as cover.”
The batting order, and indeed the whole make-up of the team, could be different to what fans saw during the final Test against the West Indies, which the Proteas won to clinch the series after rain disrupted the first Test.
Conrad hinted that David Bedingham may move up to No 4 to replace the injured Bavuma in the first Test, with a player such as Ryan Rickelton coming into the team as a left-handed option in the middle-order.
Conrad basically confirmed that all-rounder Wiaan Mulder, who had a very good tour of the West Indies, will be in the team regardless of conditions and whether they play three or two seamers.
Senuran Muthusamy has been included in the Test team as another all-rounder. The left arm-spinner could feature alongside premier tweaker Keshav Maharaj and Dane Piedt if the Proteas decide to play three spinners.
There is currently also an injury cloud surrounding opener Tony de Zorzi, which could pave the way for Matthew Breetzke to make his Test debut if the left-hander is not fit to play.
“We will wait until we get over there [to make a call on the line-up]. It will be determined around the balance of our attack ... if we play three seamers and two spinners or two seamers and three spinners,” Conrad said.
“Bedders could easily move up to four and we may need another left-hander in the middle-order - and you can work out who that will be - but we will wait until we get there to see what the conditions are like.
“Going into the winter season there, the wickets could be slightly more seamer friendly, but generally in Dhaka they want it to spin anyway. They will want to send Shakib [Al Hasan] off on a high and I don’t think they will produce a spicy wicket for him.”
The Proteas and Bangladeh clash in the first Test at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka from October 21. The second Test will be played in Chittagong from October 29.
@JohnGoliath82