Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey believes that the squad has enough depth to fill up Devon Conway’s place in the first half of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. However, the New Zealand international player sustained a fracture to his thumb during the home series against Australia, which ruled him out for the time being.
Meanwhile, CSK have got help from the opening combination of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway in the last two seasons as well. With the latter not in the team now, CSK will have to devise a backup plan. They have other opening batting options in the form of Rachin Ravindra and Ajinkya Rahane as well. And, Hussey branded both of them as credible options for openers but has left the final call to head coach Stephen Fleming and skipper MS Dhoni as well.
“We’ve got Rachin Ravindra, who’s coming in, who plays a similar style to Devon Conway,” Michael Hussey said at the inauguration of the Pavit Singh Nayar Memorial All India inter-college T20 cricket tournament for men and women at Guru Nanak College in Chennai. “There are other options as well. Ajinkya Rahane played so well last year. He could also move up the order.”
“So, I’m not sure which way the captain and the coach want to go at this stage. But, as I said, I think we’ve got enough depth to be able to cover it in certain ways. Well, I think during the World Cup was the first time I saw him and I was so impressed with the way he went about his game. Beautiful technique. Beautiful strokeplay. A real appetite for scoring runs, which I think is important as well,” Hussey again said.
Meanwhile, Rachin Ravindra scored a quick 68 in the only T20I that he played against Australia recently while batting at No.3. He is another New Zealand star to be part of the CSK camp as well. And, Hussey praised Ravindra’s attitude to improving himself daily as well.
“You can just tell he just loves the game. So, they’re the sort of players I love. Love talking to about the game. He wants to improve as well. He’s like a sponge. He just wants to improve every single day. Much like Devon Conway when he first came to CSK as well. So, really looking forward to working with him. Really excited to watch him play. And excited to try and help him get better and better and better as a player,” Michael Hussey concluded.
