Devon Conway, the New Zealand opener, has displayed remarkable consistency as a batter in all formats ever since his international debut in November 2020. During the IPL mega-auction held in 2022, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured the services of the talented left-handed batter for a base price of ₹1 crore. Michael Hussey, the celebrated Australian cricketer, played a crucial role in CSK’s success in the early years (2008-15) and presently serves as the team’s batting head coach. He was also associated with the Mumbai Indians in the 2014 season.
In this article, we examine three of Hussey’s records that Devon Conway has the potential to surpass with the Chennai Super Kings.
1) Runs scored for CSK
Michael Hussey was a highly reliable batsman for the Chennai Super Kings, amassing 2213 runs in just 63 innings at an impressive average of 40.98 and a strike rate of 122.80. Despite having a relatively lower strike rate, he predominantly played on the challenging, low-scoring Chepauk pitches. Hussey stands as the fourth-highest run-scorer in CSK history and the second-highest among overseas players, with only Faf du Plessis ahead of him in terms of runs.
Devon Conway has made an exceptional start to his IPL career, scoring 566 runs in 14 innings for the franchise at an average of 47.16 and a strike rate of 144.38. His signing has proven to be great value for money, given his ability to also keep wickets if required. If Conway continues to play for CSK for another four to five seasons, he could very well surpass Hussey’s record of runs scored.
2) Fifty-plus scores for CSK
Michael Hussey was a remarkable run accumulator for the Chennai Super Kings, scoring one century and 17 half-centuries in just 63 innings. This impressive record makes him one of the most consistent performers in the team’s history. Additionally, Hussey also boasts an impressive record in playoff matches, having scored crucial knocks of 63 in the 2011 final against RCB and an unbeaten 86 in the 2013 Qualifier-1 against MI.
Among CSK players, only Suresh Raina (40), MS Dhoni (23), and Faf du Plessis (21) have more than 20 50+ scores to their name. Devon Conway, on the other hand, has already scored seven half-centuries in just 14 innings for the Super Kings. Although it may be challenging for him to maintain this level of consistency over a more extended period, Devon Conway undoubtedly has the potential to go on and score another 12 fifty-plus scores for the team.
3) Sixes hit for CSK
Michael Hussey hit a total of 52 sixes and 230 fours off the 1802 balls he faced while playing for the Chennai Super Kings, averaging a boundary every 6.4 balls. In contrast, Devon Conway has already hit 24 sixes and 55 fours off just 392 balls, averaging a boundary every 4.96 balls. Furthermore, the disparity in the balls per six ratio is even more prominent, with Hussey averaging 34.65 balls per six compared to Conway’s 16.33.
While both Conway and Hussey are primarily anchor batsmen, Conway tends to have more aerial shots in his arsenal. Moreover, the way T20 cricket is played has evolved significantly over the years, with modern-day openers attempting to maximize their scoring options during the first six overs of the innings.
Based on current trends, it may take Devon Conway approximately 15 to 20 more innings to surpass Hussey’s tally of sixes hit for the Super Kings.
