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CSK Opener Ruled Out Of AUS-NZ Test With Thumb Injury; Backup Announced

Devon Conway to miss Australia Test due to thumb injury (X.com)Devon Conway to miss Australia Test due to thumb injury (X.com)

Ahead of the much anticipated two-game Test series against Australia, New Zealand suffered a massive blow as star opener Devon Conway got ruled out of the initial Wellington Test due to a thumb injury scare.

Australia swept New Zealand at the latter’s home turf in the three-game T20 series held last week in a dominating performance.

That being said, after the thumping series win, the Aussies will clash in a two-game-Test series against the Kiwis starting from February 29 at Cello Basin Reserve in Wellington.

However, in a major setback, the hosts suffered a serious loss just a day after the Wellington Test. Explosive opener Devon Conway has been officially ruled out of the first Test in the aftermath of a thumb injury scare.

Conway sustained the injury during the second T20 international at Auckland while keeping the wickets. While the batter traveled with the team to Wellington, additional medical tests and scans revealed serious damage to his left thumb. 

Notably, Conway has been ruled on prima facie as a precautionary measure as the actual extent of the injury is yet unknown. The batter will undergo additional medical consultation to determine the final diagnosis and decide on further course of action. 

That being said, Henry Nicholls has been recalled as a backup replacement for Conway. He will be joining the team on Wednesday and training before the commencement of the series opener Test.

Meanwhile, Kiwi head coach Gary Stead acknowledged the big loss. He said Devon Conway was looking forward to the challenging series and felt absolutely gutted to have missed the opportunity due to an unfortunate injury.

“It’s disappointing for Devon (Conway) to be ruled out on the eve of an important match. He’s a class player batting at the top of the order for us and I know he was really looking forward to this series," said Stead.

Additionally, New Zealand is also concerned about Rachin Ravindra’s availability as he witnessed soreness in his left knee and hence skipped the final T20I. But the head coach confirmed earlier this week that Rachin will be available for selection for the Wellington Test.