Though the entire IPL schedule shouldn’t be out but, Johnson’s late arrival will make him miss at the very least the primary 4 matches CSK will play, towards Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals. By the way, Johnson’s final aggressive sport was within the final IPL, when he was representing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the place he suffered again ache and later a stress fracture.
Johnson will be part of CSK for INR 1.5 crore (US$160,000 approx.), with Ellis dominated out of the match after he aggravated an previous hamstring damage within the home One-Day Cup last on March 11. Johnson, 30, has represented Australia in 5 ODIs and eight T20Is, and has general performed 71 T20s.
“He obtained some excellent news, I feel 4 or 5 days in the past, about his again,” Harris stated. “Lastly, the crack in his again has healed. He is had fairly a irritating 8-10 months. So the excellent news is he is again bowling. He is build up once more.
“IPL, I feel there could be a chance. We’re nonetheless ready to see what occurs there. He is clearly obtained to do a good bit of bowling earlier than he goes again into aggressive cricket. So we’re engaged on that as we converse.
“However it’d be good to see Spence again taking part in cricket. He is clearly had some unhealthy luck over the past two years.”
Harris stated he had been working with Johnson on making some changes in his bowling motion to forestall additional again points, however he revealed Johnson is barely bowling at simply over half-speed for the time being.
“We have been doing that ever since he is been in a position to roll his arm over,” Harris stated. “We have been simply tweaking a few issues. And he is doing very well. He had a bowl the day earlier than yesterday. I wasn’t there, however I did some video stuff. And we have been actually acutely aware of what he is making an attempt to realize and straighten him up a little bit bit and attempt to take a little bit little bit of strain off that again.
“However he is accomplished it very well. He appears like, though he is solely going about 60%, the ball’s popping out properly. In order we converse, he is bowling extra. He is making an attempt to crank it up. And it is simply now about getting bowling load into his physique to have the ability to enable him to go and play.”
Johnson has performed within the IPL earlier than, representing Gujarat Titans and KKR in 2024 and 2025, respectively. He was a giant shock purchase through the accelerated spherical in direction of the tip of the 2024 public sale, going for INR 10 crore (US$1.2 million approx. on the time) to GT, having entered the public sale at a base worth of INR 50 lakh.
He picked up 4 wickets in 5 matches that season, and within the 2025 season, the place KKR purchased him for INR 2.80 crore, he took one wicket in 4 matches. He was launched by KKR forward of the 2026 public sale, the place he went unsold.
Johnson had signed with Quetta Gladiators for PSL 2026, however pulled out of the match citing private causes.
Ellis, in the meantime, had been retained for INR 2 crore (US$ 215,000 approx.) by CSK earlier than the final IPL public sale though he had performed just one sport for them in 2025.
Together with Johnson, CSK’s abroad fast-bowling contingent now consists of Matt Henry, Jamie Overton and Zak Foulkes, and the Indians within the combine are Khaleel Ahmed, Anshul Kamboj, Gurjapneet Singh and Mukesh Choudhary, other than allrounders Shivam Dube and Aman Khan because the pace-bowling choices.
*0820GMT, March 25: The story was up to date with CSK’s X put up.
