Cricket: The quiet brilliance of Black Cap Devon Conway

Devon Conway has regular raised his bat across all three formats for the Black Caps. Photos - Getty and Photosport

Black Caps standout Devon Conway has quietly become the team’s most important player.

If Conway has an average day the side have a decent chance of winning, a test, an ODI or a Twenty20 - such is his brilliance across all three formats since he played his first international three years ago.

Twenty20 averages are not something cricket fans take notice of compared to the longer formats - a trend that holds true across all T20 statistics. But Conway’s record is worth highlighting following another strong half-century in leading the Black Caps to victory in the opening encounter in Ranchi - their first T20 win against India at home since 2017.

Heading into the second T20 clash with India tomorrow morning, Conway now has the second-highest average in Twenty20 history - 48.88 from 33 innings, and at a strong strike rate of 131.3. Only Virat Kohli sits above him with a career average of 52.73.

The next highest T20 average by a New Zealander is Brendon McCullum with 35.66, a 13-run difference so big that it covers the same gap between McCullum and the next nine Black Caps on the all-time list.

The only thing missing from Conway’s resume through just 33 innings is a century, with a high score of 99 not out against Australia last February.

Already impressive in the 20-over game, it’s his record across all formats that moves into the staggering.

Former West Indian international and now commentator Ian Bishop praised Conway following his latest fifty in the opening Twenty20 in India, labelling him one of the best ‘all format batters’ in the game.

Since his T20i debut on 27 NOV 2020, Devon Conway needs to be in that conversation of best “all format batter”.

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) January 27, 2023

Players have become more adaptable to the transition across formats in recent years as they become used to the quicker turnarounds of playing tests one week and a Twenty20 a few days later. Last year Conway proved his importance to Gary Stead by playing eight tests, nine ODIs and 15 Twenty20s, only behind Daryl Mitchell for the most international appearances. The Black Caps head home later this week for a home summer schedule against England and Sri Lanka that includes four tests, three ODIs and three Twenty20s. Conway should again be a chance to play in all of them.

He says it’s not too different in his approach when he crosses formats.

“For me with the bat not a lot changes. I’ve just got to lift my intent ever so slightly from ODI cricket to T20. Maybe take a little bit more risk when needed,” he said following the opening T20 win over India.

Since his debut in 2020, Conway has scored seven hundreds across all three formats, four in tests and three in ODIs - an all-formats average of 50.08.

Over the same timeframe, only Pakistan’s Babar Azam holds the edge over Conway with 11 hundreds (four in tests, five in ODIs and two in T20s) although a lower average of 47.47 since the Kiwi made his international debut.

Conway’s ODI average through 17 innings is 45.81, fourth best in New Zealand history behind Kane Williamson (47.83), Ross Taylor (47.55) and Glenn Turner (47). He already has three centuries - one more from tying Martin Crowe who played 143 matches, and two away from McCullum who played 260 games.

In tests, his average of 54.76 is the 20th highest of all time and second best by a New Zealander, behind Mitchell’s 58.35. He is the complete batsman and there’s enough evidence he is now the key wicket for any opponent facing the Black Caps in any format.