Due to a thumb injury, Devon Conway of New Zealand and the Chennai Super Kings will not be able to play in the initial phase of the forthcoming IPL 2024 season.
During the recently finished T20I series versus Australia at home, the left-handed Conway, who was named player of the match during the IPL 2023 final versus Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad a year ago, injured his thumb. As a result, the 32-year-old was excluded from the current two-match Test series. This week, Conway is scheduled to have surgery and recover from this unforced injury.
New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said in a statement, “Following several scans and specialist advice, the decision was made to operate on Conway with a likely recovery period of at least eight weeks. We’re all feeling for Devon. He’s a massive part of the BLACKCAPS and we’re going to miss his presence both on and off the field.”
Conway is expected to miss the first eight weeks of the IPL, which is scheduled to start in Chennai on March 22. In the inaugural match of the competition, Royal Challengers Bangalore will play the defending champions CSK at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.
Devon Conway’s absence set to be big problem for New Zealand and Chennai Super Kings
Conway’s absence will require CSK to rearrange their lineup. Ruturaj Gaikwad had previously formed a potent combination at the top. Conway amassed 924 runs in 23 games during just two IPL seasons while playing for the Super Kings. He has been averaging 48.63 and at a great strike rate. He has nine fifty-strikes and was CSK’s top run scorer in 2023 with 672 runs across 16 games. In the all-important final, he was able to notch up a much-needed 47.
Prior to the third Test, New Zealand had secured Henry Nicholls as a substitute for Conway. The Kiwis also decided against having seamer Neil Wagner come back from retirement, opting instead to use uncapped Ben Sears as the replacement of the ailing William O’Rourke.
Fans react as Devon Conway gets ruled out till May due to thumb injury: –
CONWAY RULED OUT TILL MAY…!!!! [Cricbuzz]
– Bad news for CSK in IPL. pic.twitter.com/AWh564qhDm
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 4, 2024
Means Dhoni set to make new opener from middle order ??
— Mirthful Moments (@moment_mirthful) March 4, 2024
Big blow for CSK ?
— Sankott (@Iamsankot) March 4, 2024
Me nahi to conway
— Simple man (@ArbazAh87590755) March 4, 2024
Replacement we can get ? Daryl Mitchell can play as a opener ?
— Prakash (@JeyVamos) March 4, 2024
Bura hua bro pic.twitter.com/K5UDgVImV3
— shreyaaji?? (@meinhekyu) March 4, 2024
So Ruturaj and Tushar will be opening ?
— Virat de Villiers (@imVKohli83) March 4, 2024
No problem we have Rachin Ravindra ? pic.twitter.com/FK0uSYUBY7
— Apuroop Achanta (@digitaldetox_9) March 4, 2024
Great news for others.
Hope he will recover quickly ??
— Sayantan Pandit (@codziac) March 4, 2024
