He picked three wickets for just 21 runs in the 4th T20I.
If one looks at the number of wickets every bowler has got in the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and Australia, there is Nathan Ellis, broad daylight and then the rest of the bowlers. The Australian speedster has managed nine wickets in just four matches till now, and continues to be one of the top threats for India going ahead. Moreover, he is most likely to feature in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) retained players 2026 list.
The next best bowler in terms of the wickets is currently Varun Chakaravarthy, with five wickets under his belt. However, there has been a pattern in the way Ellis has gone about his stuff, and that is what separates him from the rest of the bowlers. His variations make it very difficult for the batters to read him off the hand.
Ellis came in to bowl as the first change after Ben Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett opened the bowling at the Carrara Oval. The Australian pacer drew first blood in the 12th over of the match, sending Shivam Dube packing using his slower ball which the batter could not read. The slower delivery is one of the most lethal weapons that Ellis possesses and batters would need to be vary of the same, come the T20 World Cup 2026 which is scheduled to be played early next year.
To add to the list of achievements, Ellis became the fifth bowler to summit 50 T20I wickets for the Aussies, which is a rare achievement. His economy was less than six in the 4th T20I, and he did not let the batters get away at all.
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The five-time IPL champions are likely to change quite a lot in their squad ahead of the upcoming season in 2026. However, one of the most important things to look forward to for the management and franchise would be the CSK Retained Players 2026 list for the season. The franchise has been a big believer in young talent and they have scouted a couple of them last year.
Ayush Mhatre and Urvil Patel would be given the long rope, considering what CSK love to do every time. However, on the bowling front, Nathan Ellis would be one of the first retentions that the franchise would be looking at. The 31-year-old has a great ability to mix-up his lines and lengths along with the changes in pace, and the management would not like to get rid of such a quality bowler.
Ellis has been a part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for each year since 2021, having represented two teams. Having said that, his best season in terms of wickets came in 2023 for the Punjab Kings (PBKS), in which he bagged 13 wickets in 10 games. What’s to be pointed out is that his economy has never been over the 10-run mark, which would be a promising sign for the team. And hence, Nathan Ellis would most likely be on the CSK Retained Players 2026 list for the next year.
Another factor which would help his case would be the kind of wickets CSK get at home. The Chepauk stadium is known to provide tacky wickets which help the ball to stop. As a result, the ball does not come on to the bat very easily. With Ellis already possessing a lot of variations, it becomes all the more difficult for the batters to be able to pick him off the hand.
Though the 31-year-old Australian was only able to manage a single game last season, his international stints would be enough to prove his quality. And hence, the CSK Retained Players 2026 list would have his name as a surety.
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