Devon Conway reacts to ‘CSK, CSK’ chants during IND vs NZ 2026 1st ODI match [Watch]

New Zealand batsman Devon Conway acknowledged the vocal chants of “CSK, CSK” by the crowd at the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) stadium in Vadodara during the first ODI against India on Sunday, January 11. The opening batsman represented Chennai Super Kings (CSK) from 2022 to 2025, before being released ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.

Devon Conway played an integral role for CSK during his tenure, featuring in the title-winning side in the 2023 edition, and also winning the Man of the Match award in the final. In 29 matches for the Yellow Army, he scored 1,080 runs at an average of 43.20 and a strike rate of 139.72.

The southpaw starred in the series opener against India, scoring 56 off his 67 runs in the first innings before being blocked by Harshit Rana. During the second half of the match, while playing deep, he was met with a chorus of crowd chants of “CSK, CSK”. He expressed his appreciation to the fans with a thumbs up, before returning to the field. Take a look at the moment here:

Prior to the India tour, Conway actually faced CSK’s sister franchise, Joburg Super Kings, twice in the 2026 SA20. Playing for the Super Giants in Durban, he scored just 4 and 19 in those matches as the Faf du Plessis-led side completed a double for the franchise.

Devon Conway is not sold in the IPL 2026 auction

The New Zealand opener entered the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a base price of INR 2 crore, but did not attract any bids, and was ultimately unsold. He had a decent 2025 after scoring 922 runs at a 31.79 average and a 126.99 strikeout rate, but the franchise favored other upcoming talent ahead of him.

New Zealand have named Devon Conway in their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he is set to continue his opening partnership with Finn Allen.