CSK face early setback as Spencer Johnson set to miss the first half of IPL 2026

March 25, 2026: The Chennai Super Kings have signed Spencer Johnson as a replacement for Nathan Ellis for IPL 2026. Ellis, who was retained by the team, was ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury. Because of this, CSK had to look for a new fast bowler and finally chose Johnson.

However, there is a setback for the team. Johnson will miss the first half of the season. CSK confirmed in a social media post that he will join the squad only in the third week of April. He was expected to solve the team’s death bowling problems, but his late arrival means the team will have to manage without him in the early matches.

South Australia coach Ryan Harris shared an update on Johnson’s fitness. He said that Johnson has started bowling again after a long injury break. He had a crack in his back and was out for many months. Now he is slowly getting back to full fitness, but he still needs more practice before playing competitive matches.

From Yellow to Yellove 💛
A pace boost arrives from Down Under 💪

Note: Spencer Johnson replaces Nathan Ellis.
He is set to join the squad between April 21–23.#WhistlePodu #Yellove pic.twitter.com/srdNbG81TW

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) March 25, 2026

Who can solve CSK’s death bowling problems?

The team led by Ruturaj Gaikwad is likely to depend on Khaleel Ahmed to bowl in the death overs. Matt Henry, who is known for his new-ball bowling, can also help in the later overs if needed. CSK have a few more options to try in this role.

In the spin department, Noor Ahmad and Prashant Veer are expected to play important roles. The team can also use players like Gurjapneet Singh, Mukesh Choudhary, or Anshul Kamboj as Impact Players based on the match situation.

On the other hand, there is more concern for the team as Matt Short is also expected to miss the first few matches due to a fractured thumb. This means CSK will need to adjust their team combination in the early part of the tournament.