IPL 2025: Head Coach Stephen Fleming Breaks Silence on Dewald Brevis’ DRS Controversy

May 4, 2025: A high-stakes IPL clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) was marred by a moment of controversy involving Dewald Brevis and a missed DRS opportunity. The contentious incident took place during CSK’s tense two-run defeat at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, when Brevis was declared out but failed to signal for a review within the allotted 15-second window.

Caught up in the chaos of an attempted extra run after the ball ricocheted to the boundary, Brevis hesitated and ultimately signaled for the Decision Review System (DRS) too late. The umpire, adhering to the rules, denied the review, and Brevis had no choice but to walk back to the pavilion.

CSK head coach Stephen Fleming addressed the incident in the post-match press conference, attempting to understand the umpires’ stance while acknowledging the confusion on the field. “Yeah, it was a big moment,” said Fleming. “In talking to Jaddu [Ravindra Jadeja] and Brevis, there was a lot going on with running straight away. I think they saw the ball ricochet and actually go to the boundary for four. And lost in that was whether Brevis took the review in time.”

Fleming admitted that once a batter is given out, the DRS timer starts immediately, but he felt the situation was complicated by the play still unfolding. “There was a fair bit eaten up with the play still being completed… in the umpire’s view, [the time] did run out,” he explained.

Adding further context, Fleming clarified that even if Brevis had been declared not out by the third umpire, the runs scored during the delivery wouldn’t have counted. “While we would have maintained the wicket, it certainly wouldn’t have given us the five runs, which would have been nice,” he noted. “But it’s a big moment in a big game. There were twists and turns all the way through.”

Despite the controversy, RCB clinched a nail-biting two-run victory and climbed to the top of the IPL 2025 points table, while CSK remained at the bottom.