Major blow to CSK: Nathan Ellis ruled out of IPL 2026 due to injury

March 20, 2026

Chennai:  Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have suffered a major blow a week before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Key fast bowler Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to a hamstring injury.

The franchise confirmed this via a social media post on Friday. CSK wrote on Twitter, “Nathan Ellis has been ruled out of the season due to a hamstring injury. We wish him a speedy recovery.”

Impact on bowling unit
Ellis has taken 19 wickets in 17 IPL matches. He was bought for ₹2 crore in the 2025 mega auction and retained for the 2026 season.

The 31-year-old Ellis has been in excellent form for Australia over the past year, and the team has high expectations for him, especially after CSK released their key bowler Matheesha Pathirana, who will now play for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

With Ellis’s departure, CSK’s foreign fast bowlers are now Matt Henry, Jamie Overton, and Jack Foulkes. The Indian bowlers include Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh, and Mukesh Choudhary.

The team’s captain is Ruturaj Gaikwad, while Shivam Dube and Aman Khan are the all-rounders.

Start of the new season and past performance
CSK will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30 in Guwahati. The team will then play Punjab Kings on April 3rd and Delhi Capitals on April 11th at their home ground, the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

The team will also face defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 5th in Bengaluru.

It’s worth noting that CSK had a disastrous season last year (IPL 2025). The team won only four out of 14 matches and became the first team to be eliminated from the playoff race.