Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been dealt a major blow ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season, with star batter Devon Conway set to miss at least the first half of the competition. The New Zealand international sustained a left thumb injury during the T20I series against Australia and will undergo surgery.
New Zealand Cricket confirmed that Conway will require a minimum of eight weeks to recover from the surgery, ruling him out of the opening match of IPL 2024 against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22. The statement from New Zealand Cricket read: “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.”
Meanwhile, speculation continues to swirl around the future of MS Dhoni in the IPL. The former Indian captain has not officially announced his retirement, but many experts and fans believe that IPL 2024 could be his final season. Dhoni has been one of the most successful skippers in the competition, leading CSK to five titles, the joint-most by any captain along with Rohit Sharma.
However, Dhoni’s childhood friend, Paramjit Singh, has provided a different perspective. “I do not think this will be his (Dhoni’s) last season. He is still fit. I think he will play one or two more seasons. He will definitely play one more season. The reason is he is fit,” Singh told OneCricket.
If Dhoni does decide to retire after IPL 2024, it will mark the end of an era for CSK. The 41-year-old has been an integral part of the franchise since its inception in 2008, leading them to numerous titles and becoming one of the most iconic players in IPL history.
