In an ideal world, Nathan Ellis would be have already played over 100 T20Is by now. Unfortunately for him, he plays for Australia who have had one of the most iconic pace bowling trios in history. However, the thing with class is that it will eventually find a way through. In fact, in his very first T20I, Ellis made a massive statement by picking up a hat-trick against Bangladesh in Mirpur.
In his early days, Ellis did a plethora of errand jobs, primarily as a gardener and labourer, as tried to manage his personal life with the cricketing ambitions. Even has plugged away in domestic cricket, international opportunities weren't frequent and Ellis had to bide his time.
On Thursday (November 6), Ellis put a stamp of his calibre one more time, with exceptional figures of 4-0-21-3. The wickets were all big ones - Shivam Dube, Shubman Gill and Washington Sundar. In the process, Ellis got to 50 T20I wickets in just his 31st game. His average of 17.48 is outstanding while his economy rate of 7.82 is phenomenal, given that he bowls mostly in the powerplay and at the death.
Ellis' speciality is his quick whippy action and skiddy nature as he isn't the tallest of bowlers going around. With a stock pace around 135-138 kph, Ellis is quick enough to rush batters with the bouncer and also has a terrific yorker. His most potent weapon, however, is the array of slower balls that he bowls without any change in action.
The deliveries that got rid of Dube and Gill were perfect examples of his potent slower balls. While Dube was early on the shot against the off-cutter, Gill was foxed by the back-of-the-hand slower ball. Like any good T20 bowler, Ellis also knows how to bowl to his field and is very good at executing his plans.
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In 2023, Ellis was the highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket across international cricket and franchise leagues with Rashid Khan being the second-highest in the list. He has also been a part of several IPL sides without really establishing his spot in the squad. Currently, he plies his trade with the Chennai Super Kings.
The 2024-25 season could be a breakout phase for Ellis who has also matured into a personality with strong leadership skills. In the 2024-25 BBL season, he captained Hobart Hurricane to their first-ever title and has also become a regular with Australia. Mitchell Starc's retirement and Pat Cummins' fitness concerns mean that Ellis has finally gotten his due recognition.