Last Updated on 9 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Nathan Ellis has sent a strong reminder of his white-ball bowling prowess in Australia’s ongoing T20I series against the West Indies. In a high-scoring series, Ellis has more than held his own, providing Australia with important breathing space in matches where the ball has flown to the boundary at an incredibly high rate.
Across the first four T20Is, the overall run rate sits at 10.44. Ellis has conceded just 7.68. At the unforgiving Sabina Park and Warner Park where bowlers are greeted with flat pitches and small boundaries, one of Australia’s finest T20 assets has given away a mere 123 runs in 16 overs, executing his variations with superb effect.
Ellis’ defensive skills are magnificent as his arm speed doesn’t change too much regardless of the delivery type. With his bag of tricks including on-pace deliveries at varying lengths, back-of-the-hand slower balls, and cutters, he often strings together multiple deliveries without conceding a boundary. Such sequences make a big difference in high-scoring matches.
Ellis has also displayed those skills around the world, including the 2025 Champions Trophy. In a 350 vs 350 match against England, the seamer was operating under five an over for almost his entire spell on a flat Lahore pitch, until his final delivery was struck for four to take his tally to 50.
A few weeks earlier, Ellis led Hobart Hurricanes to their maiden Big Bash League (BBL) title. He conceded just 7.86 per over across ten matches.
Fans believe Nathan Ellis is a must in Australia’s team for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India
On what are expected to be good batting surfaces in the T20 World Cup, fans have called for Ellis’ inclusion in Australia’s XI even if the big three of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are all fit and available.
“He is a master of his craft. Surely now, even when the big three are available, he has to play every game?” wrote ESPNcricinfo’s Andrew McGlashan on X (formerly Twitter).
Here are some of the reactions to Ellis’ performances, including calls for more opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Australia have taken a 4-0 series lead with one T20I to play in the Caribbean. Along with Ellis, the visitors have had a number of star performers, most notably Tim David who smashed the fastest ever T20I century for Australia in the third T20I.
The fifth T20I will also be played at Warner Park in St Kitts on Monday (Tuesday morning Australian time).
