CSK suffer big blow as Devon Conway set to miss atleast first half of IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings has suffered a big blow ahead of IPL 2024 as opener Devon Conway is set to miss atleast the first half of the upcoming season.
The New Zealand batter is all set to undergo surgery on the left thumb he had injured during the T20I series against Australia recently.
New Zealand cricket released a statement ahead of the second Test against Australia stating that Conway will need a recovery period of atleast 8 weeks, meaning that he would surely miss the opener of the IPL 2024 season against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22.
Opener Devon Conway will this week undergo surgery on the left thumb he damaged during the KFC T20I series against Australia. “BLACKCAPS opener Devon Conway will this week undergo surgery on the left thumb he damaged during the KFC T20I series against Australia.”
“Following several scans and specialist advice, the decision was made to operate on Conway with a likely recovery period of at least eight weeks,” read the statement.
How crucial was Devon Conway for CSK last season in the IPL?
After a slow start to life in CSK, Conway quickly became a crucial member of the MS Dhoni-led side in the 2023 season. Forming a solid partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the order, the New Zealand batter scored 672 runs for CSK last season at an average of 51.69.
During the 16 matches he played, Conway was also able to score 6 fifties with a strike-rate of 139.71. The opener also scored a crucial 47 off 25 balls in the rain-affected final as CSK beat Gujarat Titans to win their 5th IPL title.
CSK will be playing four matches during the first phase of the IPL 2024 season, including the curtain-raiser for the season against RCB in Chennai. Following the match on March 22, CSK will face GT four days later at Chepauk before taking on Delhi Capitals in Vizag on March 31.
They round off phase one with a trip to Hyderabad to take on SRH.
With the rest of the fixtures yet to be revealed, it remains to be seen the number of matches that Conway will miss in the upcoming season.