Stephen Fleming’s Dewald Brevis injury update reveals CSK desperation after RCB hammering
Stephen Fleming hinted at urgency as he addressed Dewald Brevis’ injury status, suggesting CSK are keenly awaiting his return as they look to regain momentum.
Chennai Super Kings have incurred another horror start to an IPL season, losing all three of their opening games in 2026 to remain at the bottom of the table. After the loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday, head coach Stephen Fleming hinted at urgency as he addressed Dewald Brevis’ injury status, suggesting CSK are keenly awaiting his return as they look to regain balance and momentum.
Chennai Super Kings' Dewald Brevis, centre, during a practice session on the eve of the IPL 2026 match between Chennai Super Kings and Punjab Kings (PTI)
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Brevis missed all the first three matches for Chennai after suffering from a side strain. But with the team now having a five-day gap before their next fixture, at home against the Delhi Capitals, Fleming is "looking forward to getting him back."
Speaking at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday, Fleming said: "We hope he is going to be right for the next game. We have five days between the next game. We have been conservative and hopefully, these next five days go as well as we have planned, and he is ready to go. It's a big loss but we are looking forward to getting him back."
Chennai players did not train on the eve of the match against Bengaluru, but Brevis was stopped on match day, facing throwdowns for close to 20 minutes from assistant coach Rajiv Kumar. He mostly defended the balls, and did not visibly look in any sort of discomfort during that session. The South Africa batter then played football with the rest of the teammates.
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Chennai players did not train on the eve of the match against Bengaluru, but Brevis was stopped on match day, facing throwdowns for close to 20 minutes from assistant coach Rajiv Kumar. He mostly defended the balls, and did not visibly look in any sort of discomfort during that session. The South Africa batter then played football with the rest of the teammates.
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Brevis also trained with the rest of the unit ahead of Chennai's home game against the Punjab Kings last week. He was at one of the side nets, but the training session only comprised of facing throwdowns, before he took part in fielding drills as well.
Brevis had joined the Chennai camp last season as a replacement player, but emerged as a valuable addition as he smashed 225 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 180 in an otherwise forgettable season for the former champions, who had finished at the bottom of the table for the first time in an IPL edition.
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Brevis was retained ahead of the 2026 season, and once fit, Chennai will need him in the middle order. The team had earlier featured just two overseas players in the home game against Punjab and three against Bengaluru.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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