Hyderabad: MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings suffered a huge setback ahead of the Indian Premier League 2024 as the Kiwi wicket-keeper batter Devon Conway is set to miss the second Test against Australia and the first half of the forthcoming season of the cash-rich league.
Conway will undergo surgery on the left thumb this week which he sustained during the second T20I match against Australia last month. Due to his finger injury, he missed the third and the final T20I, first Test and will not participate in the last and second Test against Australia, commencing from March 8.
On Monday, the New Zealand Cricket Board released a statement which stated, "Opener Devon Conway will this week undergo surgery on the left thumb he damaged during the 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," the statement further added.
With less than three weeks remaining until the beginning of the cash-rich league, the southpaw batter is expected to miss the first league phase of the IPL. However, there will be uncertainty over his participation in the second phase. It is also possible that the Team management will ask him to stay back and prepare for the T20 World Cup 2024, which will commence only after three days of the IPL final.
The 32-year-old has 924 runs under his belt at an average of 48.63 in a mere 23 games of the cash-rich league. He made his IPL debut for CSK in 2022 and announced himself in style, scoring 252 runs at a brilliant average of 42.00 with a strike rate of 145.66. He then opened the innings for one of the most successful franchises and finished the season with the highest run-getter for his team, racking up 672 runs at an exceptional average of 51.69 including six half-centuries.
The opener also scored a crucial 47 off 25 balls in the rain-affected final as CSK beat Gujarat Titans to clinch another PL title, equaling Mumbai Indians' tally of five trophies.
MS Dhoni-led side will be playing four matches during the first phase of the IPL 2024 season, including the tournament opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their backyard.
Following the match on March 22, CSK will face GT four days later at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai before taking on Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam on March 31.
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