Chennai Super Kings’ title defense has taken a hit with the news of Devon Conway’s impending absence until at least May due to a left thumb surgery.
The blow comes especially hard as Conway, instrumental in last year’s final victory against Gujarat Titans, won’t be available for a significant portion of the tournament, spanning at least eight weeks.
The injury, sustained during the recent T20I series against Australia, also caused him to miss the opening Test match.
With an estimated recovery time of eight weeks, Conway’s participation in over half of the tournament is doubtful, which kicks off on March 22 and is likely to conclude by the end of May.
Henry Nicholls, initially called up as cover for Conway in the Test series against Australia, will continue to remain with the squad for the second match.
However, Neil Wagner’s aspirations for a farewell Test were dashed as he won’t be considered as a replacement for the injured Will O’Rourke, who suffered a left hamstring strain requiring a minimum of two weeks of rest.
Ben Sears, with an impressive record of 58 wickets from 19 first-class games, has been brought into the squad in place of O’Rourke.
Though he’s made appearances in T20Is for New Zealand, including the recent series against Australia, Sears is yet to make his Test debut.
Coach Gary Stead expressed confidence in Sears’ abilities, citing his pace and bounce as valuable assets in red-ball cricket, and believes he’s ready for the Test arena if called upon.
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