Chennai Super Kings are scheduled to face Lucknow Super Giants at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday (April 19) and just a day before the game, the news of Kiwi opener Devon Conway being completely ruled out of IPL 2024 broke out. The CSK management has added English pacer Richard Gleeson to their squad as a replacement.

Devon Conway played a crucial role in the last IPL as he scored 672 runs in 16 matches. He also has 9 half-centuries in IPL with a highest score of 92. In IPL 2023 Final his 25-ball 47 helped the Super kings to lift the trophy for the fifth time. However, he did not arrive in India for the IPL 2024 due to his thumb injury.

IPL 2024: Who is Richard Gleeson?

Gleeson is an English right-arm fast bowler. So far he played six T20 International matches and bagged 9 wickets. The 36-year-old started his international career quite late, at the age of 34 against India.

The English pacer succeeded in scalping batters like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant in his debut match. The late bloomer had played T20s across the countries and already got 100-plus wickets. Now it is the time for him to test his skills in the battleground of IPL with the Yellow Brigade.

IPL 2024: What will be the Impacts of Richard Gleeson on CSK in IPL 2024?

If we look into the pace department of the Chennai Super Kings, it is already star-studded with players like Mustafizur Rahman, Tushar Deshpande, Matheesha Pathirana, and Shardul Thakur. Deshpande and Rahman are the regular fast bowlers for CSK this season.

Shardul Thakur and Deepak Chahar are the other two pace options, and depending upon the pitch if an extra fast bowler is required then Matheesha Pathirana comes into the picture. So it is very unlikely that Gleeson will get a chance to be featured in the playing XI immediately.

But the situation will change as Mustafizur Rahman will leave the CSK camp after playing the match on May 1, due to his national team commitments. Matheesha Pathirana should be the first choice to replace him in the eleven and the extra fast bowler's slot could go to Gleeson.

His ability to bowl with 150 kmph plus speed will help Chennai to maintain the strength of their pace-battery, once Mustafizur Rahman leaves the squad. Pathirana has also faced some minor injury issues and missed a few games, and if the problem returns the English fast bowler will be the best alternative.

As of now, Gleeson has joined the CSK team already, as they are preparing to lock horns with LSG in the Friday evening clash. And for Gleeson, it will be a great opportunity to showcase himself before the upcoming T20 WC and next year's IPL mega-auction.