NEW DELHI: Chennai Super Kings’ young star Dewald Brevis found himself at the centre of a major controversy during their IPL 2025 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
In a high-stakes chase, Brevis was dismissed for a golden duck on his very first ball after being adjudged LBW to Lungi Ngidi.
While the delivery looked to be sliding down leg, Brevis hesitated to take a review and was eventually denied the chance — the 15-second DRS timer had expired.
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The South African batter, caught in a moment of doubt, discussed the decision with non-striker Ravindra Jadeja before finally signalling for DRS.
But it was too late. Replays later confirmed that the ball would have missed the stumps comfortably, sparking widespread criticism of both the on-field umpire’s decision and the rigidity of the DRS timing system.
Visibly frustrated, Brevis and Jadeja briefly argued with the umpire, but the decision stood.
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Many fans and experts felt the youngster was hard done by, with some questioning whether players should be given more flexibility to review controversial calls, especially in such a crucial game.
The missed review came back to haunt CSK, who eventually fell short by just two runs while chasing RCB’s formidable 213/5.
Despite heroic efforts from 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre (94 off 48) and Jadeja (77 not out off 45), the Super Kings ended at 211/5. Brevis’s early exit proved pivotal, as one more boundary could have swung the match CSK’s way.
The game had it all — blistering fifties from Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, and Romario Shepherd for RCB, and a stunning near-chase by CSK.
But it was the DRS drama involving Brevis that will remain the most talked-about moment from a thriller that pushed RCB to the top of the points table.
