CSK suffered a huge blow as their star opener Devon Conway will miss the first half of the IPL 2024 due to an injury. An integral part of CSK’s lineup, Conway suffered a thumb injury during their T20I series against Australia which necessitated the need for surgery. After surgery, he will need some time to recover making him unavailable at least May.
The New Zealand batter’s gleaming performances including his match-winning knock in the previous edition of IPL made him an integral part of the CSK clan. With Conway unavailable for the initial stages of the tournament, CSK faces the challenge of finding a suitable replacement to fill the void at the top of the order.
How much time Devon Conway will need to recover?
Conway’s extended timeline for rehabilitation reflects the severity of his injury. The fracture that Conway suffered during New Zealand’s T20I series against Australia required him to face an eight-week recovery period after surgery. This lengthy rehabilitation timeline makes him unavailable for more than half of the IPL season leaving CSK looking for a like-for-like replacement for Conway.
CSK might turn towards Rachin Ravindra to play alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad as an opener. Rachin’s inclusion at the IPL auction proved fruitful as he might take up Conway’s responsibility as an opener. However, this will be Ravindra’s first season of IPL & whether he can fulfill this big responsibility is what will be seen when he takes the field during IPL 2024.
But along with bad news, there comes good news. There are chances of Conway completing his rehabilitation & returning to the league in the middle of the IPL 2024. New Zealand team management & CSK management will be optimistic about his return with two marquee events, IPL 2024 & T20 World Cup 2024 lineup.
IPL 2024 Schedule
IPL 2024 is all set to kickstart on March 22. The BCCI & IPL Governing Council have released the schedule for the first half of the league. This is because the dates of general elections will be released in a few days & after the confirmation of general elections the rest of the schedule of IPL will be finalized. MS Dhoni will return for the IPL 2024 for CSK. This season is special for Dhoni fans as this would be the last time when Dhoni will take the field & feature in the IPL. There are reports that after the conclusion of IPL 2024, he might hand up his boots & call time on his cricketing career.
Also read, IPL 2024: Pat Cummins Announced Sunrisers Hyderabad Captain