After the news of MS Dhoni’s calf strain sent shockwaves through the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fanbase, head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed another major setback: Dewald Brevis has been ruled out of their opening match against Rajasthan Royals.

For the fans asking “Where is Brevis?”, here is the status update on the South African prodigy.

The Injury: A Training Ground Setback

While Brevis arrived in India in red-hot form following a stellar SA20 campaign (where he scored 370 runs), he sustained a side strain during a high-intensity training session at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday.

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Fleming confirmed the development during the pre-match press conference, stating: “Brevis is out. He had a side injury during training and is currently rehabbing. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before he’s back.”

How many games will he miss?

Immediate Status: Ruled out for tonight’s game (March 30).

Expected Return: Reports from the CSK camp suggest he is likely to miss the first 2 to 3 matches.

Target Game: The medical team is optimistic about having him fit for the home game against Punjab Kings on April 3, or at the latest, the mega-clash against RCB on April 5.

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Why this hurts CSK?

CSK retained Brevis for ₹2.20 Crore this season, banking on him to be the “Aggressor-in-Chief” in the middle overs.

Last season, Brevis was one of the few bright spots for CSK, striking at a massive 180.00. Without Brevis and Dhoni, CSK loses two of its most potent death overs hitters simultaneously.

Who takes his spot?

With Brevis out, CSK has been forced into a tactical reshuffle. The vacancy allows CSK to play an extra overseas option, including someone like Matthew Short for the middle overs. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson will move to the opening slot along with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.