Chennai Super Kings Sign Spencer Johnson as Nathan Ellis Replacement for IPL 2026
CSK Welcomes Spencer Johnson
Chennai: The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have clinched the championship title five times, have acquired Australian fast bowler Spencer Johnson to fill the void left by Nathan Ellis, who is sidelined for the entire tournament due to a hamstring injury.
Previously, Johnson had committed to the Quetta Gladiators for the 2026 season of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but withdrew just before the tournament commenced. This decision was officially announced on March 15, with Johnson citing personal reasons for his exit from the PSL.
With 13 international appearances under his belt, including 5 ODIs and 8 T20Is for Australia, Johnson has claimed 18 wickets at the international level. He has also played for the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL.
According to an official IPL statement, "Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have selected a replacement for the injured Nathan Ellis for the upcoming TATA Indian Premier League (IPL). Spencer Johnson will join CSK for INR 1.5 Crore as Ellis's replacement."
During his last season with KKR, Johnson participated in only 4 matches, securing 1 wicket with his best bowling figures being 1/42. In the IPL 2024 season, he played five games for the Gujarat Titans, taking four wickets with an economy rate of 9.4.
Johnson now faces the challenge of stepping into the role vacated by Ellis, who has taken 19 wickets in 17 IPL matches. Ellis was acquired by CSK for Rs 2 crore during the 2025 mega auction after spending four seasons with Punjab Kings and was retained for the 2026 season.
At 31 years old, Johnson has shown impressive form for Australia over the past year and is expected to play a crucial role for CSK, especially after the departure of their key bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who will now represent KKR in the upcoming season.
CSK is set to kick off their IPL 2026 journey on March 30 against the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. Following that, they will host the Punjab Kings on April 3 and the Delhi Capitals on April 11 at their home ground, M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, before heading to Bengaluru for a match against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 5.
In the previous IPL season, CSK struggled, finishing last with only four wins out of 14 matches, making them the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.