Devon Conway’s thumb injury during 2nd T20I casts doubts over his participation in only Test against Australia
Australia took an unassailable lead of 2-1 in the T20 series by hammering New Zealand by 72 runs in the 2nd T20I at Auckland. But looking at the larger context New Zealand must have had a sign of relief as Devon Conway survived a probable fracture during the match.
The incident occurred early in the game when Conway faced a sharp delivery from Adam Milne. Despite initial treatment on the field, Conway opted not to continue, leading to Finn Allen taking over the gloves for the remainder of the innings.
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra are battling injuries, raising concerns about their availability for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Conway’s injury prompted a trip to the hospital for X-rays, which fortunately revealed no obvious fracture to his left thumb. X-rays showed no fracture, but he’s under observation and might miss the final T20I. His participation in the first Test starting February 29th is uncertain.
The absence of Conway significantly impacted New Zealand’s performance in the match. Although Glenn Phillips downplayed its significance on the match and said, “All I know is it was pretty swollen and it wasn’t worth going out there at that point of time. At the end of the day we were four down for not much and who knows Devon could have been one of those wickets,” he said. “But he’s an integral part of our batting line up and he always gives a lot of confidence to the guys that are behind him. It was a big loss but at the end of the day wickets fell regardless.”
New Zealand’s injury woes continue
Alongside Conway, concerns also revolve around Rachin Ravindra, who missed the game due to knee soreness. Ravindra, who showcased his prowess in the previous match with a remarkable half-century, remains under observation, and his availability for the upcoming matches remains uncertain.
Both absences are worrying for New Zealand as Conway is a key opener and Ravindra impressed in the recent Test series against South Africa. Will Young, who replaced Ravindra in the second T20I, is the reserve batsman in the Test squad. He can open or bat in the middle order.
New Zealand will be hoping for a quick recovery for both Conway and Ravindra, as their experience and form are crucial against a strong Australian team.
In light of these concerns, the team management might look towards Will Young as a potential replacement. Young’s versatility in handling different batting positions offers some flexibility to the team, although filling Conway’s shoes will undoubtedly be a challenging task.
