Chennai Super Kings turn to Spencer Johnson

Chennai Super Kings have secured Australian left‑arm quick Spencer Johnson as the replacement for Nathan Ellis, who has been ruled out of IPL 2026 following a hamstring recurrence suffered during a domestic final on March 11. Johnson, who debuted in the IPL with Gujarat Titans and later featured in four matches for Kolkata Knight Riders, arrives at a fee of INR 1.5 crore after appearing in nine league games overall.

His signing comes shortly after he withdrew from the Pakistan Super League, where Quetta Gladiators had announced him as a direct acquisition before he pulled out for personal reasons. Internationally, Johnson has played 13 white‑ball matches for Australia, collecting 14 T20I wickets at an economy of 8.96, though his IPL numbers remain modest.

CSK acted swiftly to reinforce their pace stocks ahead of their March 30 opener against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, hoping Johnson can provide immediate depth.