A slightly-built batsman from Bulawayo, Brian Chari's talent was spotted early in age-group cricket. He played his way into the Matabeland Tuskers' first class senior side as an opener, although he has often batted in the middle order for the limited-overs side.

Standing a little crouched at the crease with a technique built around defence, Chari picked up a reputation for slow scoring in long-format cricket early in his career but he has bucked this trend on a couple of occasions. Opening the batting in the second Test against Sri Lanka in November 2016, he became the first Zimbabwean Test opener to hit his first ball for six when he launched into Rangana Herath. Later in the same innings, he repeated the treatment to bring up a maiden Test fifty.

Chari has also made significant strides in domestic limited overs cricket, and was one of four players to score 300 runs or more in the 2017-18 Pro50 Championship. He was also the second-highest six-hitter in the competition after Tinashe Kamunhukamwe. While Chari usually attacks spinners on the leg side, he is strongest off the front foot through covers against the quicks. Locally, he plays club cricket for Emakhandeni, the same club that helped to nurture offspinner John Nyumbu.