South African cricket sensation Dewald Brevis, often called "Baby AB" due to his striking resemblance to AB de Villiers and his innovative batting style, recently shared the heartwarming story of his first encounter with his idol. Brevis, who made his international debut in August 2023, has long admired de Villiers, and their initial meeting proved to be a pivotal moment in the young cricketer's journey.

Brevis recalled the day he first saw de Villiers at a restaurant called Hazlewood Culture Club while he was with his family. Overwhelmed with nervousness, Brevis was unable to approach the South African legend. "AB and his wife walked past us, and I just froze," Brevis told SuperSport. "I wanted to ask for a picture, but I couldn't get the words out." Fortunately, de Villiers' wife noticed Brevis's hesitation and encouraged her husband to take a picture with the young fan. "Then his wife said, 'AB, come for a picture,' and that's how I got my first photo with him," Brevis said.

A few days later, Brevis had another chance encounter with de Villiers at a school event. "Someone told us AB was at the school and we rushed to see him," Brevis remembered. "I was still star-struck and could hardly say anything." As de Villiers was about to leave, Brevis gathered his courage and blurted out a request: "AB, you can say no, but can I please have your number?". To Brevis's surprise, de Villiers agreed. Brevis later sent a thank-you message, which marked the beginning of their bond.

That simple exchange blossomed into a lasting relationship. With the world going into lockdown, Brevis and de Villiers stayed in touch, and what began as an idol-fan moment gradually evolved into a mentor-mentee relationship.

Brevis has looked up to de Villiers since he was young. He even wore an AB de Villiers shirt that his mother made for him. Brevis admired de Villiers' mindset and how he entertained people. Brevis's South Africa U19 shirt also displayed the number '17' on his back, which was the same number De Villiers wore since making his ODI debut for the Proteas back in 2005. Brevis even asked de Villiers if he could wear the number 17 shirt, and de Villiers said yes.

Since that day, de Villiers has remained in touch with Brevis, offering guidance and support as he continues to develop as an international cricketer. Brevis made his debut for South Africa in August 2023 against Australia and has played in 14 matches across formats. The young batter continues to be compared to his idol, both for his aggressive stroke play and his resemblance to the modern-day legend.

Brevis dreams of emulating even 10% of what de Villiers has achieved. He is currently contracted with Chennai Super Kings.