Australian left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson has been signed by the CSK franchise as a replacement for Nathan Ellis. Johnson had left the PSL a week earlier citing personal reasons.
It was believed that the volume of PSL would increase but it did not happen. Many players contracted with PSL franchises left the league citing one reason or the other and were seen making a comeback in the IPL. Shahid Afridi’s statement seems to be true, as he had claimed that only unsold IPL players play PSL.
The PSL features a number of big names in 2026, but players like Steve Smith, David Warner and Devon Conway all remained unsold in the IPL before making the move to the Pakistan Super League. Therefore, the difference in standards and funding is clear.
Spencer Johnson signs contract with CSK days after leaving PSL
Spencer Johnson signed directly with Quetta Gladiators ahead of the 2026 PSL season; However, he later withdrew before the start of the competition citing some personal reasons. This decision was made official on 15 March.
CSK, the most followed franchise of IPL, then started looking for a replacement for Nathan Ellis for the upcoming season. Ellis could have been their main fast bowler in the absence of Mathisha Pathirana, but he has now been dropped.
Just a week after pulling out of the PSL, the Australian speedster has been signed by the Super Kings and he confirmed the same via Instagram Story.
Spencer Johnson, he became #IPL2026 #CSK pic.twitter.com/EzfiybCoee
– Karthi S (@karthicrickt) 22 March 2026
Spencer Johnson is an equal replacement for Nathan Ellis
Australian fast bowler Nathan Ellis was selected as a key player in the deck following the release of Mathiesha Pathirana; Its importance had increased to a new level. However, the 31-year-old Australian injured his hamstring and was ruled out of the competition.
Who will lead the CSK bowling deck in 2026?
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