Chennai Super Kings is one such franchise that has enhanced the fame and definition of the Indian Premier League. Being a five-time champions side helmed under the captain cool, MS Dhoni, the Super Kings are prominent for the gameplay and their humongous fanbase. But, they had a forgettable 2024 stint, as they had closely missed qualifying for the playoffs, citing significant issues regarding players' inconsistency and the injury of leading campaigners.

But, with the Mega Auction coming ahead, the Yellove army will get a chance to restructure their team and plan for the long term, as a few of them from the roster will likely play their last in the times ahead. Based on the released retention list and voids present on the side, here is a list of the five players that Chennai Super Kings should try for in the coming 2025 IPL Mega Auction

Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant should be on the team's player acquisition plans' significant target list. The primary reason behind this would be evident amongst several cricket fanatics. With Mahendra Singh Dhoni possibly playing his last IPL after his cornerstone contributions to the cricketing world, Chennai Super Kings would be eager to acquire the services of an emerging wicketkeeper batter.

Since his IPL inception, Pant has been part of Delhi Capitals for over seven editions, implying his pivotal impact creation for his roster. But, with him parting ways from his career shuttler, it will be intriguing to see if Rishabh Pant would be a part of a team with his idol. After making a stellar comeback from a life-threatening injury, he has made 446 runs in 13 matches, averaging over 41. 

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin has been one of the cornerstones of the Indian spinners ecosystem. But, before making a mark on the International cricket space, Ashwin was a part of the Yellow squad since its inception. He evolved as one of the best spinmeisters across all game formats, especially in the red-ball format.

Though Ashwin has played for four teams, Rajasthan Royals being the recent one, his consistency and intent must be the major USP. Also, with his recent dominance as one of the best bowlers in test cricket, the local boy wouldn't mind returning to the side that has given him all. The Super Kings will target to have an experienced spinner, and he can prove to be their best option. In the previous edition, he had scalped nine wickets in 15 matches at an economy of eight. 

Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar would be one of the players under the Super Kings auction management's auction radar, thanks to his impeccable performance in their recent whitewash campaign by New Zealand, where his spinning efforts went in vain. Many fanatics would vividly remember his batting contributions in the nick of time during the previous 2022 Border-Gavasker Trophy down under.

Sundar, who played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024, was not retained by his franchise and will be auctioned off. With Chennai retaining Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube ahead of the auction, another all-rounder could do them good. With the side requiring a long-term emerging spinner, Sundar can cater to those needs, and his local roots act as the cherry on top. In 2024, he didn't get a chance to display his calibre and scalped just one wicket in two appearances. 

Also Read: IPL 2025: Top 5 Best Retentions during the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

Devon Conway

Devon Conway is seen to be one of the players that the five-time winners may exercise their Right-to-Match (RTM) option or pay big for in the mega auction. The group is recognised for its stability and consistency and has placed a high faith level in its overseas players, with Devon Conway has maintained that tradition.

He missed the IPL 2024 season with a thumb injury, and his absence contributed to the franchise's failure to qualify for the playoffs. The Southern side should be eager to get him back into the auction. In his memorable 2023 stint, he has made a colossal 672 runs in 16 matches, averaging over 49.

Rachin Ravindran

Rachin Ravindra is currently one of the intriguing and emerging stars in world cricket, and he's mainly performed brilliantly in the Indian sub-continent, with his recent performance in the clean sweep India test series and the 2023 World Cup.

A calm demeanour, 24 years of age, a match-winner with the bat, and a handy spinner – all elements of Rachin Ravindra are perfect for the team to acquire him for long-term purposes. Though he had a shaky start in his first IPL appearance, his calibre signifies promise, which the Chennai Super Kings highly need. In 2024, he has made just 220 runs in ten matches, but it will be a terrain of a task for the side as many sides are willing to bid for him in the forthcoming Mega Auction.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a powerhouse in the Indian Premier League (IPL), face a significant setback as star batter Devon Conway has been ruled out of the IPL 2024 due to a thumb injury. Conway, a pivotal player for CSK in the last two seasons, leaves big shoes to fill.

Devon Conway’s IPL Journey

In his tenure with CSK, Devon Conway played 23 matches, amassing a total of 924 runs which included 9 half-centuries, with his highest score being an unbeaten 92. His performance in IPL 2023 was particularly noteworthy, scoring 672 runs and proving instrumental in many of CSK’s victories.

See Also: Watch: When Rohit Sharma ‘meets’ 20-year-old version of himself, the video goes viral

Conway’s thumb injury, sustained just before the IPL 2024 season, poses challenges for the team’s batting lineup. Known for his reliability and explosive batting, Conway’s absence is a blow to the team’s strategy.

Introduction of Richard Gleeson

To fill the void, CSK has signed Richard Gleeson, an English pacer with a promising T20 record. Gleeson, who has played 90 T20s and taken 101 wickets, joins CSK at his reserve price of INR 50 Lac. His experience in T20 Internationals, although limited to 6 matches, has been impactful with 9 wickets.

IPL MEDIA ADVISORY

Devon Conway ruled out TATA IPL 2024 due to an injury, Chennai Super Kings add Richard Gleeson to the squad

Conway, who represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) over the course of the last two IPL seasons, played 23 matches and scored 924 runs, which included 9 half-centuries and a highest score of 92*.

CSK have added Richard Gleeson to the squad for the remainder of the TATA IPL 2024. Gleeson has represented England in 6 T20Is and has 9 wickets against his name. Additionally, Gleeson has played 90 T20s and picked 101 T20 wickets. He will join CSK for his reserve price of INR 50 Lac.

CSK’s Strategy Moving Forward

With the addition of Gleeson, CSK seems to be pivoting towards strengthening their bowling attack while they recalibrate their batting strategy without Conway. Gleeson’s aggressive bowling could bring a new dynamic to the team.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) face a notable setback as their key batsman, Devon Conway, is ruled out due to a thumb injury incurred during a T20I series against Australia.The injury, incurred while wicketkeeping during the second T20I, has necessitated surgery and a projected recovery period of at least eight weeks. As a result, Conway is expected to miss a substantial portion of the IPL season, dealing a blow to CSK’s campaign.

Conway’s absence will be keenly felt by CSK, considering his stellar performances in the previous IPL edition. With an impressive tally of 672 runs in 16 matches, including six half-centuries, Conway played a pivotal role in CSK’s title-winning campaign. His impactful innings, notably a quickfire 47 in the final, earned him the Player of the Match award and solidified his status as one of CSK’s key players.

Conway’s Absence: A Test of Depth for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024

The injury-enforced absence of Conway has prompted CSK to reassess their batting lineup and seek alternatives for the crucial position vacated by the New Zealand batsman. While CSK boasts depth in their squad, Conway’s consistent contributions and match-winning capabilities will be challenging to replace, posing a significant test for the team’s management and coaching staff.

SEE ALSO: Gujarat Titans player under observation following bike accident

CSK’s campaign in IPL 2024 begins against Royal Challengers Bangalore on March 22 in Chennai, marking the start of their title defense without the services of Conway. As they embark on their quest for another championship, CSK will rely on collective team effort and strategic adjustments to compensate for the absence of their influential batsman and sustain their competitive edge throughout the tournament.

CSK shelled out 16 Crores on Ben Stokes, who has been left on the sidelines due to Devon Conway’s consistency at the top.

Last Season, Devon Conway did start the season, but was in mainly because Moeen Ali was out of the first game due to some Visa Issues. He did make a return in the latter half of the tournament, and impressed with his game against spin instantly. He formed a good rapport with Gaikwad in his brief period at the top, but still could not be seen as a certain starter in 2023 with Ben Stokes in the Roster.

In Ben Stokes, CSK had a player who could offer a lot. They had a stable batter, bowler, and a future captaincy option as well.

Starting as a specialist batter though, Ben Stokes suffered a toe injury, leaving him out of the side, and by the time he came back there was no space left for him.

With Conway’s consistency, Ali’s spin in Chepauk, and Pathirana excelling in the death, Ben Stokes continued to warm the bench.

What has Conway done though to keep one of the best players in the World out of the side. He hasn’t played much Cricket in India, but he has shown quickly that he knows how to understand and adapt to conditions quickly.

Now, in his first full season, Devon Conway leads the run scoring charts for CSK, and has channeled his inner Mike Hussey at the top. At Chepauk, in particular, running between the wickets and finding the gaps is a very important skill. Mike Hussey had the ability to do the same with ease and now Devon Conway, with an incredible strike-rate against spin has shown that he can pierce gaps and push fielders with ease. With a minimum of 120 balls faced against spin, he is only behind Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Suryakumar on strike-rate against spin.

Another similarity with Hussey has been his use of the sweep and reverse sweep. This has been an aspect in which Devon Conway has consistently been improving. Even before the IPL, when New Zealand toured India, Devon Conway consistently managed to sweep and reverse sweep Kuldeep Yadav, while occasionally throwing Yadav off his length with trips down the ground. The sweeps though are not his only option. He has shown, in the first game against the Knight Riders that he can pump the ball down the ground as well, an approach which just gets the job done.

His game against spin has been on the rise, and he has done some unconventional training methods to get where he is. With a variety of shots, and with a lot of strike-rotation he knows how to get on the bowlers nerves and despite playing with a seemingly lower-strike rate, Devon Conway does make the task easier.

His partnership with Ruturaj Gaikwad is a key example. While Conway has been on the slower side, his ability to rotate strike has allowed Gaikwad to take on the bowlers effectively as well. The difference can be seen in the sixes he has hit this season, which higher in number than his usual count.

Against pace to, Devon Conway has done well to take the attack to the bowlers. He did not hesitate to go after the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Jofra Archer, and has been an absolute sponge at the top. With his form, CSK fans are being kept happy as they found another opener to fill the Hussey hole. At first they had Faf Du Plessis, come in and fill the Hussey sized hole, and when Faf Du Plessis was not bought back the fans were a touch heartbroken. Devon Conway though has more than filled the void and is doing an incredible job with his consistency at the top of the order.

29th Match, IPL: Chennai Super Kings 138 for 3 (Conway 77, Gaikwad 35, Markande 2-23) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 134 for 7 (Abhishek 34, Ravindra Jadeja 3-22, Akash 1-17) by seven wickets

On a slow, gripping pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai Super Kings were able to chip away at the target of 135 against Sunrisers Hyderabad thanks to Devon Conway’s third half-century in a row. After a promising start, Sunrisers’ momentum was halted earlier by Ravindra Jadeja, who took three wickets and bowled eight overs for only 4 for 49 with Maheesh Theekshana.

The visitors had three spinners on their side, including Impact Sub Mayank Dagar’s left-arm spin. However, despite the fact that Dagar, Washington Sundar, and Mayank Markande were economical and even took two wickets, they didn’t really bother the batters of the opposition. As a result, Super Kings remain third in the points table with the seven-wicket victory, but only on net run rate, equal to Royals and Super Giants in points.

Ravindra Jadeja turns it CSK’s way

After Sunrisers had scored 34 runs in the first four overs thanks to Harry Brook, Jadeja was brought in in the eighth over. After that, Theekshana and Moeen each scored ten runs. His first over went for seven, and next finished, Moeen went for eight; Sunrisers were 70 for 1 after nine overs.

After the timeout, the match switched tracks; It appeared as though the track itself had become rough. There were some deliveries that didn’t turn. Some people managed to hold onto the pitch, while others came on higher than expected. Abhishek Sharma was playing for the turn when Jadeja got the second ball after the break, which bounced nicely. Be that as it may, he pulled and found long-on as the ball just continued straight subsequent to pitching. After briefly shining, an innings of 34 came to an end.

Then, at that point, second bundle of the twelfth over, Jadeja bowled full and outside off to Rahul Tripathi, who attempted to bring it for a trudge clear yet top-edged to short fine leg. Tripathi fell for a run-a-ball 21 that time, and it appeared as though the ball had stopped before entering the game. Mayank Agarwal was downgraded to No. 2 as if that weren’t enough. 6 skipped out to Jadeja in the fourteenth over after losing his patience. He was stumped by MS Dhoni, and Sunrisers’ drop from 71 for 1 to 95 for 5 changed the match.

Conway motors along

Conway found the limit multiple times off the initial ten balls he confronted, lobbing, excoriating and punching away at the ball. However, he was on 18 off 19 deliveries when Super Lords were at 37 without any misfortune after five overs. That is when Marco Jansen sought some treatment: Ruturaj Gaikwad took a solitary to begin the 6th once again, and Conway went 4, 4, 6, 4, 4.

The shots were all varied: The ramp was the first thing; then, at that point, came the scoop; a fortunate, top-edged pull followed, and a deft touch past the wicketkeeper later, Conway finished the over by bisecting the short third and the point defenders. All of that was necessary for Sunrisers to implement spin, but it was too late. In the tenth over, Conway scored fifty off 33 balls and went unbeaten on 77, including 12 fours and a six.

Sunrisers’ experiment backfires

Abhishek and Mayank Agarwal served as the openers for Sunrisers, with Brook in the middle order; Abhishek wasn’t there for the next match. After that, they realized Brook and Agarwal can open together, and Abhishek came back, this time in the middle of the lineup. They stayed with that once again, prior to pushing Abhishek back and Agarwal down to No. 6 versus the Super Kings.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Although Sunrisers would take heart from Abhishek’s effort at the top, Agarwal left for his third single-digit score in six innings. Sunrisers, on the other hand, are in ninth place, just one game from the halfway point. When they bat first, they have been limited to less than 135 two out of three times, and when they chase, they haven’t always been competitive either. Something has to work. Soon.

IPL, 24th Match: Chennai Super Kings 226 for 6 (Devon Conway 83, Dube 52, Siraj 1-30) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 218 for 8 (Maxwell, 76, du Plessis 62, Deshpande 3-45, Pathirana 2-42) by 8 runs. 

Faf du Plessis, along with coach Stephen Fleming, led Jo’burg Super Kings to the inaugural SA20 semi-finals in February of this year. At the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bangalore threatened to slaughter 227 against Fleming and MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings two months after du Plessis launched an audacious attack on Glenn Maxwell.

After Super Kings had reached 226 for 6 thanks to Devon Conway’s 45-ball 83 and Shivam Dube’s 27-ball 52, they struck first with Impact Player Akash Singh to bowl Virat Kohli out for 6 in the first over. In the subsequent over, Mahipal Lomror was bowled out by Tushar Deshpande. However, du Plessis and Maxwell went after Super Kings’ inexperienced seamers, putting them on 75 for 2 in the powerplay.

Illustrious Challengers multiplied that score by the fourteenth over, with du Plessis – solid side and all – riding his karma to push them considerably further ahead. Dhoni dropped Du Plessis behind the stumps on 0 and Maheesh Theekshana dropped him off his own bowling on 52. Super Rulers dropped two additional gets in a remiss handling exertion, yet late wickets and clever varieties from the Sri Lankan sets of Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana made all the difference for them.

With a flashing 104 kph carrom ball, Theekshana had bowled Maxwell out for 76 off 36 balls in an over that had no boundaries. After being bowled by Maxwell for 26 runs in ten balls, Pathirana had Shahbaz Ahmed holing out in the 18th over for just four runs.

Suyash Prabhudessai, an impact player for Royal Challengers, hit Deshpande for six in the 19th over, but Pathirana was able to defend 18 off the final over with his slinky yorkers and slower cutters that were on pace. His bowling coach, Dwayne Bravo, congratulated him from the dugout after he caught Prabhudessai in the last ball at deep midwicket.

Devon Conway, Rahane turn up the tempo

Mohammed Siraj once again excelled on the powerplay, giving up just six runs in his two innings and getting rid of Ruturaj Gaikwad for three. Conway and Ajinkya Rahane had also started slowly, but in the fifth over, bowled by rookie seamer Vyshak Vijaykumar, they picked up the pace. Conway made a scooped four while Rahane hit the top of the Chinnaswamy Arena with a 91-meter six.

The Super Kings went up to 53 for 1 in six overs after Rahane cracked Wayne Parnell for 4,6,4 in the final over. He attempted to keep up the going after aim against Wanindu Hasaranga, however the wristspinner outclassed him with a wrong’un.

Dube dazzles

After dismissing Rahane, Hasaranga only bowled two overs and did not return because Super Kings had promoted their left-handed spinner Dube to No. 4. Dube was paired with Maxwell by Royal Challengers, but he won the match by launching his own six into the ground’s roof.

Conway made back-to-back half-centuries and looked good for his first IPL hundred, but Harshal Patel ended up getting rid of him for 83 with a yorker that was dipping. Dube continued to find or clear the boundary despite the Royal Challengers’ lack of a true fast bowler. He charged to a 25-ball fifty preceding Parnell made them opening out in the seventeenth over.

The drama at the death

Super Kings appeared to be on track for 230 runs, despite losing Ambati Rayudu in the subsequent over. However, in the 19th over, Siraj hit wide yorkers that cost ten runs.

Harshal started the final over, which was finished by Maxwell, who took over as captain; A side strain kept du Plessis off the field during that time.

Harshal had to be taken out of the attack after bowling two beamers. Maxwell carried himself into the assault, in front of Hasaranga, and yielded nine runs, including a wide, for the wicket of Ravindra Jadeja off the last four balls.

The du Plessis-Maxwell show

Due to du Plessis and Maxwell, Royal Challengers were two runs behind after two overs, but they still broke out of the gate strongly. They utilized their strengths, with du Plessis prevailing over Maxwell’s spin and pace. 45 of the Royal Challengers’ 75 powerplay runs were attributed to Du Plessis.

After that, Maxwell took center stage and set up Jadeja and Theekshana. After the powerplay, Maxwell snatched Pathirana and hit him with a 94-meter six over square leg.

In just 12 overs, the pair reached 141 off 2 for their team. At the Chinnaswamy, 86 runs in eight overs is a manageable target, but Theekshana got Maxwell skiing behind to set up Super Kings’ comeback.

Pathirana steps up

After that, Dinesh Karthik fielded the spinners and scored a 14-ball 28 to dominate the match. Royal Challengers needed 35 off 18 balls when Karthik was out. Two of those would be bowled by Pathirana.

Super Rulers had selected against surging Pathirana back into it since he had recently recuperated from Coronavirus. Yet, with Sisanda Magala additionally joining their physical issue list, they tossed Pathirana in with the general mish-mash on a simple paced Chinnaswamy track. He showed excellent control with his variations after taking a pasting in the initial exchanges, demonstrating why Super Kings were interested in signing him before he had played in the Lanka Premier League in Sri Lanka.

In an IPL game where a record-equalling 33 sixes were hit, Pathirana held his nerve to drag Super Rulers back into the top portion of the standings.

Virat Kohli has moved back up inside the top ten of the batting charts in the latest ICC men’s T20I rankings, while Devon Conway cuts the gap to Mohammad Rizwan at the top. Before his unbeaten 82 in India’s incredible final-ball victory over Pakistan in Group Two of the 2022 T20 World Cup, Kohli had been down to 13th in the table, having been struggling for runs before this year’s Asia Cup. The India legend’s match-winning 53-ball knock, however, has seen him jump five places, back into the top ten after slipping down the table earlier this year.

Kohli’s knock against Pakistan will go down as one of the greatest T20I innings of all time and was the highest-ever score for India in T20Is against Pakistan. With India having been 31-4 chasing 160 for victory, Kohli timed his innings perfectly, hitting four sixes and six fours to give India the victory. It was yet another glorious innings chasing for Kohli, who averages a whopping 270.50 batting second in T20 World Cups.

Also Read: T20 World Cup 2022: New Zealand-Afghanistan Super 12 match washed out due to rain

In the bowling rankings, Rashid Khan has regained the top spot from Josh Hazlewood. The Afghanistan spinner is three points clear from Australia quick on 702 points. Rashid was impressive in his side’s loss to England, conceding just 17 from his four overs and picking up the wicket of Harry Brook.

England pair, Sam Curran and Adil Rashid both move up a spot, with Keshav Maharaj dropping out of the top ten. Curran picked up the best-ever figures for and England T20I bowler against Afghanistan in their first match of the tournament, taking five wickets for ten runs.

ICC Men’s T20I Player Rankings (Batting)

Mohammad Rizwan – Pakistan
Devon Conway – New Zealand
Suryakumar Kumar – India
Babar Azam – Pakistan
Aiden Markram – South Africa
Dawid Malan – England
Aaron Finch – Australia
Pathum Nissanka – Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli – India
Muhammad Waseem – UAE

ICC Men’s T20 Player Rankings (Bowling)

Rashid Khan – Afghanistan
Josh Hazlewood – Australia
Tabraiz Shamsi – South Africa
Mujeeb Ur Rahman – Afghanistan
Maheesh Theekshana – Sri Lanka
Wanindu Hasaranga – Sri Lanka
Adam Zampa – Australia
Sam Curran – England
Adil Rashid – England
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – India

IPL 2022: Umpiring issues are a common aspect in any game of cricket. The IPL alone has seen many famous umpiring controversies with some resulting in the captain walking out as was the case with MS Dhoni in 2019. In IPL 2022, despite the presence of DRS, there has been some controversy regarding factors such as the wide ball and no-ball calls along with technical issues on a few occasions leading to some angry moments for the cricketers during IPL 2022

Marcus Stoinis vs RCB

Marcus Stoinis was in the middle of a heated run-chase, looking to take the game deep as he was running out of partners at the other end. Facing Josh Hazlewood in the 19^th over, Marcus Stoinis and Jason Holder had an equation of 34 off twelve balls ahead of them.

In an attempt to stop Stoinis, Josh Hazlewood bowled a wider lined which went past the tramline. Marcus Stoinis did shuffle across but the decision to not call a wide seemed marginal and a smiling Stoinis was clearly annoyed. He asked the umpire how that was not a wide, saying it looked far, but to no avail and concealed his frustration with a smile. The very next ball, Stoinis shuffled across to counter Hazlewood’s line and edge the ball on to the stumps.

As soon as the ball hit the stumps Marcus Stoinis vented his frustration and walked out in anger. He clearly upset with the decision and considering the stage of the match he wasn’t able to hold back as he walked off shouting in anger.

Rovman Powell and Rishabh Pant vs DC

While Marcus Stoinis’s wide call was a marginal one which saw the situation diffuse rather quickly, the incident in the game between the Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals saw a little more drama. With 36 to win off six balls, Rovmann Powell started his pursuit with three sixes and made it seem like the unthinkable would be possible.

He cleared the fence twice and the pressure was on Obed McCoy as he was struggling to contain Powell. On the third ball, McCoy bowled a full-toss, which to his misfortune was hit for another massive six. Following the six though, there was a question regarding the height of the full-toss as Powell started asking for a no-ball. With the umpire not obliging, Rishabh Pant got into the matter and started signaling for his players to comeback to the dug-out. To add on, Rishabh Pant also sent one of the coaches Pravin Amre to discuss what was going on with the umpire.

In the end, the decision stood, no no-ball was given and the game continued. The momentum though was gone and Rovman Powell faced a dot the very next ball to end the game, giving Royals a tight win in IPL 2022.

See Also: Kolkata wins again by a massive 54 runs, riding on Russel’s attacks! – Cricket Winner

Devon Conway vs MI

The Mumbai Indians came into this game eliminated from playoff contention and had CSK, who were still in with a small chance of qualifying for the playoffs of IPL 2022. With a small hope for qualifying in IPL 2022, CSK walked out to bat after losing the toss in the hope of making scoring big and defending well.

The openers were in decent form as well, but technical difficulties made things difficult for the Chennai Super Kings. Due to technical issues, DRS was not available for the first few overs and that was enough to hurt the Chennai Super Kings. In the second ball of the first over, Devon Conway was given out LBW to a delivery that seemed like it could slide down the leg-side.

It looked quite debatable and with the absence of DRS, Conway could do nothing but walk off. The wicket turned out to be the killing blow for the Chennai Super Kings as they failed to recover from the early loss of their in-form batter. They kept losing wickets, and collapsed within the powerplay, before a recovery from MS Dhoni took them to 97. The target though was not enough as CSK lost and had their hopes of a playoff spot in IPL 2022 ended.

Recently, Devon Conway made his Test debut after a beautiful year in white-ball Cricket. He won the chance to begin his Test career at the Home of Cricket and did an excellent job straightaway.

With a quality bowling line-up ahead of him, Devon Conway made a magnificent double-century and became the seventh player to make a double hundred on Test debut. With Devon Conway doing a magical job, he has bought to light the six men who have achieved a similar feat. Let us now look at the six names before Devon Conway himself.

Tip Foster, 287 Vs. Australia, Sydney 1903

Tip Foster is the first player to make a double century on debut and did it quite a few years ago. The first debut double century came nearly a hundred and eighteen years before Devon Conway’s effort. The score continues to be the highest by a batsman on debut, and it came at a crucial time for England.

The England Cricket team struggled when Foster came out to bat, but the debutant stood for seven hours and dominated Australia. The innings broke many records back then, and Foster finished with the highest score in Test Cricket up until that moment. His 287 was also the highest by a batsman visiting Australia until Ross Taylor broke it in 2015 with his 290 at Perth.

Jacques Rudolph, 222 Vs. Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2003

After Foster Jacques, Rudolph got the closest to achieving the record of the highest score on debut. Rudolph was unbeaten on 222 and was going well on a pitch that offered runs. If given more time, he may have crossed Foster, but the innings were ended by Graeme Smith as South Africa looked to push for a win.

South Africa won the game in the end, and Rudolph got off to a good start in an unusual career. Before his Test debut, Rudolph played a Test against India, which was unofficial after India raised issues against the match referee. Rudolph managed only five more centuries in 47 matches as the quota system and form kept him out of the side at various periods.

Lawrence Rowe, 214 Vs. New Zealand, Jamaica, 1972

When New Zealand toured the West Indies in 1972, the bowling attack was not the strongest, and that helped the West Indies. Facing a weaker bowling attack allowed Lawrence Rowe shows his stylish batting ability. He made 214 in the first innings, batting for seven hours, and followed it with another hundred.

He finished the match with 314 runs, which is the most by a player on debut and is the only player with a double hundred and a hundred on debut. He was technically sound but couldn’t stack up the numbers, and his career faded soon.

Mathew Sinclair, 214 vs West Indies, Wellington, 1999

While Devon Conway made a superb double century debut, he wasn’t the first to do so from his country. Before Devon Conway, former wicket-keeper Mathew Sinclair made a double century on debut. His knock came against the West Indies, and he made his runs at a brisk pace. The wicket-keeper made another double century in his 12th Test but could not add to his early tally. His career faded soon as he finished with an average of 32.

Kyle Mayers, 210 vs Bangladesh, Chattogram, 2021

Over the years, Bangladesh has become a strong side at home and has also done well in the Test format. Winning in Bangladesh is not an easy task, and to do so chasing on a day five pitch is even more unlikely.

Before Devon Conway, 2021 witnessed another magnificent debut double hundred from Kyle Mayers. With 395 to chase, his side was 59 for three. The target looked impossible on a turning final day pitch. Kyle Mayers, along with another debutant, Nkrumah Bonner, stitched a partnership together and got West Indies close to the target.

Despite a few wickets towards the end, Kyle Mayers managed to steer his side to victory. The win was an unlikely won, and the contribution came from an unlikely source. With several senior players opting out, Kyle Mayers got an opportunity and cemented his spot in style.

Brendan Kurrupu, 201 Vs. New Zealand, Colombo, 1987

Brendan Kurrupu, a wicket-keeper for Sri Lanka, made his debut on a dead track. The pitch did not allow quick scoring, but both innings were incomplete despite the game going for five days. Brendan Kurrupu played 548 balls for his score and was on the field for the entire duration of the Test match. He made his first century in all first-class Cricket but could only play three more Tests.