Why is Dewald Brevis Not Playing Today’s IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 Between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad?

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma has won the toss and chose to bowl in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023 Qualifier 2 against Gujarat Titans. Having made a solitary change to their bowling division, they have continued to bench South Africa batter Dewald Brevis who is yet to play a match this season.

Although four out of the seven matches played at the Narendra Modi Stadium this season have been won by the team batting first, Sharma opted to chase a total in a knockout match considering it to be a “comfort zone” for them.

“We are gonna chase. The pitch looks a little sticky. The pitch will get better as the game goes on. It [chasing] is our comfort. We’ve chased well this season. There were a bit of nerves at the start of the tournament but it’s settled now,” Sharma told host broadcaster Star Sports Network at the toss.

Why is Dewald Brevis Not Playing Today vs Gujarat Titans?

A change which they’ve made depending on the opposition in the past as well, spinner Hrithik Shokeen has made way for Kumar Kartikeya in the Playing XI. The development strongly hints at batter Nehal Wadhera playing as an Impact Player in the second innings.

As far as Brevis is concerned, he hasn’t played a representative match in over 10 weeks. Very much part of their squad, the 20-year old player hasn’t been able to make it among Indians’ Top Four overseas players this season in spite of his heroics in the Caribbean Premier League and CSA T20 Challenge in the last one year.

The constant rise of middle-order batters namely Tilak Varma and Nehal Wadhera at Mumbai hasn’t allowed Brevis to find a middle-order spot. Furthermore, with all-rounder Cameron Green not only consuming an overseas spot but cementing it for himself, Brevis has gone further down the pecking order especially due to the individual presence of Tim David and Tristan Stubbs in the squad.

Titans captain Hardik Pandya, on the other hand, announced a couple of changes for this all-important fixture. Batter Sai Sudharsan and pacer Josh Little have been included into the Playing XI in place of all-rounder Dasun Shanaka and pacer Darshan Nalkande.