“So happy and proud of you” - Tilak Varma reciprocates Dewald Brevis’ gesture, congratulates latter for maiden South Africa call-up 

Team India batter Tilak Varma, on Monday, congratulated his good friend and Mumbai Indians (MI) teammate Dewald Brevis after the latter received his maiden call-up to the South African team for the upcoming series against Australia.

South Africa handed maiden T20I call-ups to Brevis, Donovan Ferreira, Gerald Coetzee and Matthew Breetzke for the three-match home series against Australia, which will be played from August 30 to September 3. Brevis has also been named in the squad for the five-match ODI series, which will be held from September 7 to 17.

Varma got on a video call with the young South African and congratulated the 20-year-old on his maiden call-up to the national team. The Indian batter shared a screenshot of the video call on his Instagram story with a caption:

“Congratulations on your call up brother! So happy and proud of you.”

A screengrab of Tilak Varma’s video call with Dewald Brevis.

Brevis has featured in 44 T20s, scoring 1055 runs at an average of 27.05 and a strike rate of 141.80. His 57-ball 162 is the highest individual domestic T20 score in South Africa.

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When Brevis shared a special message for Tilak Varma

Earlier, Brevis had surprised Varma with a video call after the latter made his international debut during the recently concluded tour of the West Indies.

Sharing a special message for his MI teammate, Brevis said:

“Hey brother, I hope you are very excited. I don’t know if I am more excited than you, but I just want to say from my side and from the Brevis family, congratulations on your debut.

"It’s such a great moment for you and your family. I can just image how happy your parents and everyone must be. It’s great to see you out there, living your dream out.”

Reacting to the South African cricketer’s gesture, Varma described it as a wonderful surprise, saying:

“I really loved it. It was a wonderful surprise. I was thinking it could be my coach or family.

"The other option was Dewald Brevis, my brother. So, I was really happy. Thank you so much my brother, always love you. Really appreciate your message. See you soon.”

Varma was India’s leading run-getter in the T20I series in West Indies. He scored 173 runs in five innings at an average of 57.67 and a strike rate of 140.65.