Devon Conway has become the fifth player to be retired out in the history of the Indian Premier League and the second in the season. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has opened up on the team’s decision to retire Conway out.
Devon Conway entered his name into a rare list of players getting retired out in the Indian Premier League after he was pulled out by Chennai Super Kings during their chase against Punjab Kings at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, Chandigarh on Tuesday, April 8. Conway has become just the fifth player to be retired out in the Indian cash-rich league.
CSK decided to pull Conway out in the 18th over when the visitors needed 49 from 13 balls. Ravindra Jadeja came out to replace him as he and MS Dhoni looked for a magical win. CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has opened up on the team’s decision to retire Conway out in the 220-run chase.
“We were two, three hits away today, Devon is more of a timer of a ball. Very useful at the top of the order. Jaddu, his role is completely different. You know the batsmen is struggling (On Conway being retired out). We waited for him to time it and then changed when we thought it was necessary,” Gaikwad said in the post-match presentation.
Conway has become just the fifth batter to be retired out in IPL and is second in the season after Tilak Varma was also pulled out by Mumbai Indians during their chase against Lucknow Super Giants.
Meanwhile, CSK suffered their fourth consecutive loss as they went down by 12 runs to PBKS. Dhoni played a strong cameo of 27 from 12 balls as he looked to pull off a heist but it was one too many for him. CSK needed 43 from the final two overs with Arshdeep bowling the penultimate one. Dhoni collected 15 from that but could not take the team over the line when 28 were needed in the final over.
Meanwhile, CSK’s top-order batters did not had a great outing as they could not muster runs at a requisite strike rate. Rachin Ravindra made 36 from 23 balls, while Conway scored 69 from 49 before he was retired out. Shivam Dube also struggled a bit during his 27-ball 42 as he too could not find the big hits at a consistent rate.
Gaikwad opened up on the loss and said that it is in the fielding unit that CSK need to pull their socks up. “I think the last four games, the only point of difference (fielding being the difference). It has been critical. The catches we have been dropping, the same batsman is scoring 15, 20, 30 runs,” he said.
