The pacer had played just one game in IPL 2025.
Nathan Ellis had a Big Bash League (BBL) Final to cherish in the 2024-25 edition as he led Hobart Hurricanes to their first-ever title after a 15-year wait. In the summit clash against Sydney Thunder, he led by example by claiming 3-23 and finished the season with 13 wickets from 10 games. This raised hopes for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He played their season opener against Mumbai Indians, claimed 1-38, but didn’t play another game for the rest of the season.
As CSK’s fortunes nosedived soon after the win in the first match against MI, Ellis was never preferred in the playing XI despite the management changing it too many times for anyone’s convenience. Besides the success of Khaleel Ahmed and Noor Ahmad, CSK didn’t have many notable performances in the season, where they finished bottom of the points table while also bagging too many unwanted records.
AMR
–
TBW
–
SLK
–
TKR
–
ABF
–
SKA
–
SLK
–
BR
–
DCDM
–
DVDM
–
MIEDM
–
GGDM
–
NDS
8/0
EDR
–
Match Abandoned due to Rain
WDL
–
PD
–
NDT
–
CDK
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
ROM
98/5
CZR
99/2
Czech Republic beat Romania by 8 wickets
ROM
117/3
CZR
75/10
Romania beat Czech Republic by 42 runs
ROM
108/9
CZR
86/10
Romania beat Czech Republic by 22 runs
ROM
39/3
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
ROM
–
CZR
–
AUST
216/4
BEL
215/4
Austria beat Belgium by 6 wickets
AUST
0/0
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
AUST
–
BEL
–
DURH
–
BB
–
NOR
–
MID
–
KENT
–
SOM
–
ESS
–
GLO
–
SUSS
–
YOR
–
LEI
–
WOR
–
HAM
–
DER
–
NOT
–
SURR
–
KWT
133/5
JER
–
QAT
–
KNY
–
PNG
–
KWT
–
IRE-W
166/4
ITA-W
103/7
Ireland Women beat Italy Women by 63 runs
NED-W
–
GER-W
–
GER-W
–
IRE-W
–
ITA-W
–
NED-W
–
BAN
–
IND
–
Match Called off
KZK
–
TCC
–
NCMI
–
CEC-A
–
KRMPS
–
SBSCC
–
BNC
–
KUMS
–
KBTS
183/8
ALRS
133/8
TTS
–
CAGS
–
CAGS
–
ATR
–
KBTS
–
ARKS
–
HBT
132/5
MYW
129/8
Hubli Tigers beat Mysore Warriors by 5 wickets
BNB
–
GBM
–
BNB
–
MGD
–
SML
–
MYW
–
YSG
121/10
MUT
119/7
Yallah Shabab Giants beat Muscat Thunderers by 2 runs
RNC
–
IAI
95/2
ROS
–
MAT
–
YSG
–
ROS
–
MAT
–
RNC
–
AUS
–
SA
–
SSC
180/6
SGR
153/10
Sunshine Coast beat Sandgate Redcliffe by 26 runs
WYN
149/10
RLS
150/2
Redlands beat Wynnum Manly by 8 wickets
TMB
99/9
VLLY
167/9
Valley beat Toombul by 67 runs
SBB
166/6
IPS
169/8
Ipswich beat South Brisbane by 2 runs
WSS
163/1
UOQ
161/3
Western Suburbs won by 9 wickets
IPS
–
TMB
–
SBB
–
WSS
–
SGR
–
WYN
–
RLS
–
SSC
–
GCT
–
UOQ
–
NSBB
–
VLLY
–
NOS
–
OVI
–
LOS
–
SOB
–
WEF
–
TRR
–
MAO
–
BIP
–
NOS-W
127/3
OIW-W
125/6
Northern Superchargers Women beat Oval Invincibles Women by 7 wickets
LSW-W
–
SBW-W
–
WFW-W
–
TRW-W
–
MOW-W
–
BIP-W
–
CHK
162/8
HHA
166/6
Hobart Hurricanes Academy beat Chicago Kingsmen by 4 wickets
ACOM
161/3
MS-A
160/9
Australian Capital Territory beat Melbourne Stars Academy by 7 wickets
BANA
175/4
AS-A
179/3
Adelaide Strikers Academy beat Bangladesh A by 7 wickets
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
KARS
224/3
MEMA
65/6
GOLS
–
KASS
–
MEMA
–
NOSK
–
KARS
–
LUF
–
This only showed that they had no faith in Ellis, who is most likely to be released into the IPL 2026 auction. If that happens, here are three teams that could go for the Australian.
The 2025 IPL runners-up have built a team for the future despite losing the final, and their bowlers have proven that multiple times over the course of the season. It is unlikely they will try to retain Lockie Ferguson, who has been injury-prone. Also, his availability around the auction is still in doubt. They will need a familiar face like Ellis, who has become a white-ball regular for Australia recently. Ellis can provide the impetus with the new ball and can extract bounce with the old ball, which his previous IPL employers are well aware of.
KKR might have failed in their title defence with their mediocre batting performances contributing heavily to it, but their bowling had been their biggest letdown. They kept on chopping and changing their line-up, with their pace attack barely settling in. Even when they clicked, like bundling out PBKS for 111 at Mullanpur, their batting collapsed.
Ellis will be a great addition to their attack, who has all the promise but needs confidence to keep winning games. Ellis, with all his experience playing in leagues across the world, can bring stability to their fast-bowling department. He also fits the bill of having a pacer who can swing the new ball both ways.
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Rajasthan Royals are in desperate need of fast bowlers, as their season has been full of bowling failures, specifically at the death while defending. They had let oppositions take control of the chases with poor powerplays and middle overs that lacked control over the conditions. There was a need to ‘win crucial moments’ consistently, and Nathan Ellis can do that for them. With enough chances in the playing XI, the 30-year-old can control proceedings at the start and the end, which is something Rajasthan Royals need next season.
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