Brevis' signing was in compliance with rules: CSK clarify after Ashwin's remarks spark controversy

Chennai: Chennai Super Kings on Saturday issued clarification regarding the signing of Dewald Brevis midway through the IPL 2025 season, saying the signing process of the South African batter was in "complete compliance with the rules and regulations" of the league.

A raging controversy was sparked as former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, currently in the CSK roster, hinted in his YouTube channel that the five-time IPL champions were willing to pay “extra” to avail Brevis’ services.

"Chennai Super Kings categorically clarifies that all actions taken by the franchise during the signing process of Dewald Brevis as a Replacement Player during TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 were in complete compliance with the rules and regulations of IPL,” the CSK said in a statement.

“In April, 2025, Dewald Brevis was signed for a league fee of INR 2.2 Cr as a replacement player for the injured Gurjapneet Singh, who was picked up at the IPL 2025 Player Auction held at Abadi AI Johar Arena, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for a price of INR 2.2 Cr,” the statement further added.

The IPL rules in vogue state that the signing of a replacement player should not exceed the price of the player he will be replacing on the roll.

In that scenario, the originally unsold Brevis was paid Rs 2.2 crore by CSK, over and above his base price of Rs 75 lakh, to sign him on April 18.

Gurjapneet Singh, the 26-year-old Tamil Nadu pacer, did not get a game in the previous season before an unspecified injury struck him down.

Hence, the CSK maintained that Brevis was signed in full accordance with the IPL Player Regulations 2025-27, specifically clause 6.6 under ‘Replacement Players’ rule.

“A replacement Player signed pursuant to either paragraph 6.1 or 6.2 can be recruited at a League Fee which shall not be more than the League Fee that would have been payable to the injured/unavailable Player for the relevant Season.

“If a Replacement Player is recruited during a Season, the League Fee actually paid to him will be reduced to take account of the Franchisee’s matches during the relevant Season which took place before he was registered and any other relevant deductions under the Player Contract,” states the IPL rule.

The controversy broke out when Ashwin said the CSK was ready to pay more to sign Brevis, who had cracked a brilliant hundred against Australia in a T20I match earlier this week, after a few other IPL teams' talks with the SA batter were hindered by the price.

“I will tell you something about Brevis. He had a great time last IPL. A few teams left him because of the price. When he was supposed to be signed as a replacement, he was supposed to be signed at the base price.

“But what happens is you talk to the agents and the player will say, if you give me X amount extra, I will come,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“…And CSK were ready to pay him, hence he came. In the back half, the CSK combination was strong. They will go with Rs 30 crore in IPL 2026 mini auction,” Ashwin added.

It may be recalled that Ashwin is reportedly in talks with the Super Kings about his future in the franchise amid speculation that he might seek his release from the team.

The IPL 2025 was a disappointing one for the senior spinner as he took only seven wickets from nine matches, averaging in excess of 40.